President Bola Tinubu has laid bare the reasons behind his nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, hailing the legal scholar’s unwavering neutrality and spotless service history.
“Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, a North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical,” the President declared to the National Council of State, according to a statement from his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The disclosure came during a session at the State House in Abuja, where the council – comprising current and past national leaders – gave its full-throated endorsement to Amupitan’s appointment. This paves the way for him to replace Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose 10-year stint at the electoral body’s helm wrapped up on Tuesday.
Tinubu underscored Amupitan’s roots in Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria, marking a milestone as the first from his home state to vie for this pivotal role. The council’s nod came swiftly, with members praising the nominee’s unassailable character.
Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo chipped in his support, noting that Amupitan’s career “reflects a deep commitment to justice, knowledge, and national service.”
With the council’s green light secured, Tinubu now prepares to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for the mandatory vetting and approval, as laid out in the Constitution.
At 58 years old, Amupitan traces his origins to Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. A distinguished professor of law at the University of Jos in Plateau State, he currently holds the post of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) there. On top of that, he chairs the Governing Council as Pro-Chancellor at Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
His academic journey kicked off with foundational studies at Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin, followed by a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in law, all earned at the University of Jos.
Admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, Amupitan has clocked more than three decades in academia and administration. He earned the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014 and has penned influential works on key legal fields like company law, corporate governance, and evidence.
Among his notable publications are Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
Amupitan’s influence stretches beyond lecture halls. He has sat on various boards, such as Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and the Council of Legal Education. From 1996 to 2004, he also served as a board member for Riss Oil Limited in Abuja.
Colleagues hold him in high regard as “a jurist of quiet influence.” The Kogi-born academic is married and has four children.
Should the Senate confirm him, Amupitan will step into the shoes of Nigeria’s 15th INEC Chairman.
