President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the departure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu from the role.
The announcement was made official after the National Council of State ratified the nomination on Thursday. The decision marks a historic moment as Amupitan becomes the first individual from Kogi State to be appointed to lead Nigeria’s electoral body.
Amupitan, a distinguished legal academic and administrator, is a native of Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He currently holds the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, where he has spent over 30 years in academia and legal scholarship.
His academic journey began at the University of Jos, where he obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees in Law. He joined the university’s faculty in 1989 as an Assistant Lecturer, advanced to the rank of Reader in 2003, and became a full Professor of Law in 2008. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 after completing his legal training at the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.
According to a statement from presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, “Amupitan’s nomination marks the first time a native of Kogi State will head Nigeria’s election management agency.”
Amupitan’s legal expertise spans several areas, including Law of Evidence, Corporate Law, Corporate Governance, and
Privatisation Law. He was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the legal profession.Throughout his career, he has held several leadership positions at the University of Jos, including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Head of the Department of Public Law, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors. He has also served as the university’s representative on national legal bodies such as the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, where he was a Governing Council member.
Before his nomination, Amupitan served as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
He is the author and co-author of more than 50 academic publications, with significant research contributions in corporate governance, electoral law reform, and petroleum legislation. Over the years, he has supervised numerous postgraduate students, including doctoral and master’s candidates in the field of law.
Beyond academia, Amupitan has been active in corporate and professional circles, serving on the boards of companies such as Integrated Dairies Limited and Riss Oil Limited. He is also a member of several professional associations, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the National Association of Law Teachers.
Professor Amupitan is married to Dr. (Mrs.) Yemisi Amupitan, and the couple is blessed with four children.
