JABU PRO-CHANCELLOR, PROF. OJO AMUPITAN, APPOINTED NEW INEC CHAIRMAN

JABU PRO-CHANCELLOR, PROF. OJO AMUPITAN, APPOINTED NEW INEC CHAIRMAN
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, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served from 2015 until October 2025.

The announcement was made after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Professor Amupitan’s name to the Council during its meeting at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday. The President described him as “a man of integrity and proven competence,” noting that he is the first nominee from Kogi State in the North-Central region to occupy the top electoral position.

According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Council members gave their full support to the nomination, with Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, affirming Amupitan’s reputation for honesty, discipline, and excellence.

In accordance with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation in the coming days.

Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, aged 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration at the University of Jos, and as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU, Osun State, a position he assumed on December 6, 2023, during the 48th meeting of the university’s Governing Council.

A distinguished scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, Professor Amupitan is widely regarded for his expertise in Company Law, Corporate Governance, Law of Evidence, and Privatisation Law. His academic journey began at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin (1982–1984), before obtaining his LLB, LLM, and PhD degrees in Law from the University of Jos, where he has also served as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Head of the Department of Public Law.

Beyond academia, Amupitan has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s legal and corporate sectors through various appointments, including as member of the Council of Legal Education, member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and board member of Integrated Dairies Limited (Vom).

He is the author of several acclaimed law texts such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).

Married and blessed with four children, Professor Amupitan’s appointment marks a historic milestone,  as he becomes the first law professor and sitting Pro-Chancellor of a faith-based university to head Nigeria’s electoral body.