President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The ceremony, held at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, comes a week after the Senate confirmed Amupitan’s appointment following his screening on October 16.
During the ceremony, President Tinubu charged the newly inaugurated INEC Chairman to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of the commission. Amupitan arrived at the Villa dressed in a white agbada paired with a gold cap, accompanied by presidential aides and greeted by officials ahead of the swearing-in.
The 58-year-old law professor, nominated by President Tinubu and endorsed by the National Council of State, succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure recently came to an end. With his appointment, Amupitan becomes the sixth substantive head of the electoral body since its establishment.
At his Senate screening, Amupitan outlined his vision to restore credibility and public trust in Nigeria’s elections through comprehensive electoral reforms. He pledged to focus on strengthening the provisions of the Electoral Act to correct inconsistencies and ensure transparency in the voting process.
“We must conduct elections where even the loser will congratulate the winner and say, ‘You won fairly and well.’ When that happens, voters’ confidence will naturally be restored,” he said.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also dismissed reports linking him to President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Court, clarifying that he neither represented the President nor any opposition candidates. “I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any of the parties,” he told lawmakers.
Following his swearing-in, Professor Amupitan is expected to assume office immediately and begin the transition process at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Profile:
Born on April 25, 1967, Professor Joash Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), where he also serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).
A distinguished academic, Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He earned his LLB from the University of Jos in 1987, was called to the bar in 1988, and obtained his LLM and PhD from the same institution in 1993 and 2007 respectively.
He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014 and has held several academic leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014) and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014).
Beyond academia, Amupitan serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State, as well as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom. He has also served on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education.
A prolific author, Amupitan has written several law books, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
He is married and blessed with four children.
What You Should Know
Professor Joash Amupitan’s appointment as INEC Chairman marks a new phase in Nigeria’s electoral leadership.
With his legal expertise and academic background, he is expected to implement reforms that strengthen transparency, restore voter confidence, and uphold the credibility of the nation’s democratic process.
