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).
Amupitan’s appointment follows the recent resignation of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who had served as INEC Chairman since 2015. The approval came after deliberations at Thursday’s Council of State meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to sources at the meeting, the Council’s endorsement was unanimous after members reviewed Amupitan’s credentials and extensive experience in constitutional law, public policy, and electoral management.
Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and law professor at the University of Jos, has previously served as a consultant to several electoral reform committees and has written extensively on democracy, governance, and legal reforms.
A statement from the Presidency noted that Amupitan’s appointment “reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and ensuring free, fair, and credible elections.”
“The Council of State has considered and approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of INEC,” the statement read. “His wealth of experience in law and governance will contribute to advancing electoral integrity in Nigeria.”
Before his appointment, Amupitan served as Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Jos, and was a former member of the Electoral Reform Committee inaugurated in 2008 under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He has also participated in several national assignments relating to governance and judicial reforms.
His emergence marks a new chapter in the leadership of Nigeria’s electoral body, which is preparing for several off-cycle governorship elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.
Amupitan is expected to be sworn in formally after Senate confirmation, in accordance with Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Political observers have described his appointment as a positive signal toward restoring confidence in the electoral process.
“Professor Amupitan’s background in law and reform makes him a strong choice for INEC at a critical time,” a senior government source said.
If confirmed, Amupitan will become Nigeria’s 13th INEC Chairman, succeeding Yakubu, whose tenure was marked by the introduction of technological reforms such as the BVAS and IReV systems aimed at improving electoral transparency.
