The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central region as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the Council to fill the vacancy left by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.
In his presentation, President Tinubu noted that Professor Amupitan is the first person from Kogi State — within the North-Central zone — to be nominated for the position, describing him as a distinguished scholar and an apolitical individual of impeccable integrity.
Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State described Professor Amupitan as a man of honor and credibility, well-suited for the national assignment.
In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will forward Professor Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation.
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is a renowned academic and legal luminary. He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos and doubles as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A Professor of Law at the University of Jos and an alumnus of the same institution, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatization Law. He was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.
His educational journey began at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin (1982–1984), followed by his LL.B from the University of Jos (1984–1987). He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, obtained his LL.M in 1993, and completed his Ph.D. in Law at the University of Jos in 2007.
Professor Amupitan began his academic career in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation (1988–1989). Over the years, he has held several key positions at the University of Jos, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008).
Beyond academia, he has contributed to national development through various board memberships, including Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Council of Legal Education (2008–2014). He also served as a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja (1996–2004).
An accomplished author, Professor Amupitan has written several authoritative law textbooks, including 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 Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
