The National Council of State on Thursday, October 9, 2025, approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from the North-Central as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served from 2015 till October 2025.
President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.
Accordingly, members of the Council, unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.
A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, stated that in compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will send Prof. Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Amupitan from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau and his is an alumnus of the university.
He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.
Amupitan was born on April 25, 1967.
After completing primary and secondary education, Amupitan, who was born on April 25, 1967, attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987 and was called to the bar in 1988.
He earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.
Professor Amupitan, currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).
Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja (1996-2004).
Amupitan, who is married with children, is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013) and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
