The National Council of State has approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, from Kogi State in the North-Central region, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This followed the presentation of Amupitan’s nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President informed the Council that Amupitan’s selection marked the first time a nominee from Kogi State would head the electoral body. He described the law professor as an “apolitical individual with a proven record of integrity.”

“Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Professor Amupitan as a man of integrity,” the statement added.

In line with constitutional requirements, President Tinubu will forward 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, 58, is a distinguished legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) and also serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

A specialist in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law, Amupitan earned his LLB from the University of Jos in 1987, was called to the Bar in 1988, obtained his LLM in 1993, and later earned a PhD in Law in 2007.

His academic career began in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service with the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. At UNIJOS, he has held several key positions, 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).

Outside academia, Amupitan has served on the boards of Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom, and Riss Oil Limited, Abuja, and was a member of the Council of Legal Education and the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

An accomplished author, his published works include 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).

Professor Amupitan is married and blessed with four children.