UNIJOS DVC Appointed INEC Chairman

T The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University of Jos, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s nomination to the Council during its meeting on Thursday, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to October 2025.

President Tinubu noted that Professor Amupitan, from Kogi State in the North-Central region, is the first person from the state to be nominated for the position, describing him as apolitical and highly qualified.

The Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo commending Amupitan as a man of integrity and excellence.

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

Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos and an alumnus of the institution. He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law, and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.

After completing his early education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin (1982–1984), and obtained his LL.B from the University of Jos (1984–1987). He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, earned his LL.M in 1993, and obtained a Ph.D. in 2007.

Amupitan began his academic career in 1989 after his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. Over the years, he has held several key positions at UNIJOS, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008), and Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014).

He also serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State, and sits on several boards, including the Integrated Dairies Limited, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Council of Legal Education.

A prolific author, Professor Amupitan has written several books, including 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).

He is married and blessed with four children.