The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The decision followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presentation of Amupitan’s nomination during the Council’s meeting at the State House on Thursday. The appointment fills the vacancy left by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who concluded his second term as INEC chairman in October 2025.

President Tinubu noted that Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, is the first person from the North-Central region to be nominated for the position. He also described him as “eminently qualified, apolitical, and a man of proven integrity.”

Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as “a man of honour, intellect, and commitment to democratic values.”

In line with constitutional provisions, the President will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation.

A respected academic and legal scholar, Amupitan is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, where he currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration). He is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He earned his LLB and LLM degrees from the University of Jos and obtained a PhD in Law from the same institution in 2007.

Throughout his career, he has served in several leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Law and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors at the University of Jos. He has also been a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council and the Council of Legal Education.

Beyond academia, Amupitan has contributed to corporate governance, serving on the boards of Integrated Dairies Limited and Riss Oil Limited. He is also the author of several influential legal texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria.

Amupitan is married and has four children.

The announcement was made in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.