By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
PROMISED CHALLENGES lie ahead for Nigeria’s electoral system after President Bola Tinubu formally swore in Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the sixth substantive Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the State House Council Chamber in Abuja, Tinubu urged Amupitan to serve with integrity and beyond reproach, while placing particular emphasis on the upcoming Anambra governorship election as a test for the commission’s new leadership.
During the ceremony, Tinubu noted that Amupitan’s nomination and Senate confirmation reflect confidence in his capacity.
“Your nomination and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate are a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and legislative arms of government,” the President said.
He acknowledged the challenges inherent in Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and stressed that the electoral process must be transparent and credible if public trust is to be sustained.
Tinubu recalled Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, emphasising that while significant strides have been made in institution building and electoral reforms, the country must now double down on preserving electoral integrity.
He then tasked the new INEC Chairman to ensure every phase of future elections with voter registration, campaigning, voting, and counting is conducted in a manner that is transparent, non-violent, and beyond reproach.
The President identified the governorship election in Anambra State, scheduled for 8 November 2025, as a critical early examination of Amupitan’s leadership.
The swearing-in follows the Senate’s confirmation of Amupitan’s nomination on 16 October, after which May Agbamuche-Mbu, who had served as Acting National Chairman, handed over her responsibilities to him.
Amupitan immediately assumed office upon being sworn in. He succeeds Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ran from 2015 to 2025.
At his screening, Amupitan, aged 58, presented plans to reform Nigeria’s electoral architecture, strengthen the institutional independence of INEC, and rebuild public confidence in the commission’s impartiality.
He pledged to enforce electoral laws rigorously, protect the integrity of the register, and ensure technological adoption supports—rather than undermines—transparent processes.
Profile: Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN
Born on 25 April 1967 in Aiyetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Joash Ojo Amupitan hails from a family deeply rooted in education and public service.
He attended Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin between 1982 and 1984 before gaining admission to the University of Jos, where he earned his LLB degree in 1987.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.
He proceeded at the University of Jos to obtain a Master of Laws (LL.M) in 1993, and subsequently a Ph.D in Law in 2007, marking decades of academic dedication.
His academic career began in 1989 when he joined the University of Jos as a lecturer after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
At UNIJOS, he held several leadership roles including Head of the Department of Public Law (2006-2008), Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014), and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014).
Until his new appointment, he served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of UNIJOS.
Beyond UNIJOS, Amupitan is Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
He is also recognised for his legal acumen, he was conferred the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.
Amupitan’s specialisations span Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
His service extends beyond academia: he has served on the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, on the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), and as board member of Integrated Dairies Limited (Vom) and Riss Oil Limited, Abuja (1996–2004).
Author of numerous legal texts, his publications 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 An Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
He is married with four children.
His nomination as INEC Chairman was unanimously approved by the National Council of State, making him the first person from Kogi State and from Nigeria’s North-Central zone to occupy the position.
