President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The appointment, announced on Thursday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, has been ratified by the National Council of State.
“In compliance with the Constitution, President Tinubu will now forward Professor Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening,” Onanuga stated.
If confirmed by the Senate, Professor Amupitan will be formally inaugurated by the President as the 13th substantive INEC Chairman since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, where he also earned his degrees.
A distinguished legal scholar, Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He attained the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.
He succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who completed his second five-year term on Tuesday and handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, who now serves in an acting capacity.
Yakubu was first appointed in 2015 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari and reappointed in 2020.
If confirmed, Amupitan will join the list of notable INEC chairpersons including Eyo Esua (1964–1966), Michael Ani (1976–1979), Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1980–1983), Eme Awa (1987–1989), Humphrey Nwosu (1989–1993), Okon Uya (1993), Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994–1998), Ephraim Akpata (1998–2000), Abel Guobadia (2000–2005), Maurice Iwu (2005–2010), Attahiru Jega (2010–2015), and Mahmood Yakubu (2015–2025).
INEC has also had two acting female chairpersons — Amina Zakari (June–November 2015) and May Agbamuche-Mbu, who took over this week. The first electoral commission in Nigeria was headed by Ronald Wraith, a British colonial administrator, in 1958.
Once confirmed and inaugurated, Amupitan’s first major assignments will be to oversee the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025, and the FCT Area Council elections in February 2026.
