BREAKING: Council of State Approves Amupitan as New INEC Chairman

The National Council of State on Thursday approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), officially confirming SaharaReporters’ earlier exclusive report.

The approval came during a high-level meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, marking the end of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s ten-year tenure as INEC boss.

Earlier this week, it was exclusively reported that President Tinubu was set to name Amupitan as Yakubu’s successor and that a meeting of the Council of State had been scheduled to seal the appointment.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President presented Amupitan’s name to the council, which unanimously endorsed the nomination.

According to Onanuga, President Tinubu described Amupitan as “an apolitical scholar of high repute and integrity, and the first nominee from Kogi State to occupy the INEC chairmanship position.”

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State also hailed the development, describing the new INEC Chairman as “a man of impeccable character and sound judgment.”

Following the Council’s approval, President Tinubu is expected to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation, in line with constitutional provisions.

Who Is Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN)?

Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is a seasoned academic, administrator, and legal luminary with over 30 years of experience.

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

Amupitan began his academic journey at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin (1982–1984) before obtaining his LLB from the University of Jos (1984–1987). He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, earned his LLM in 1993, and bagged a PhD in Law in 2007.

A distinguished scholar and administrator, he has held key leadership positions at UNIJOS, including:

Dean, Faculty of Law (2008–2014)

Head, Department of Public Law (2006–2008)

Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014)


He was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to legal education and national discourse.

Outside the university, Amupitan has served on several boards, including the Council of Legal Education, Integrated Dairies Limited (Vom), and Riss Oil Limited (Abuja). He is also a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).

A prolific author, he has written several notable law texts such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), and Principles of Company Law (2013).

At 58, Amupitan is widely regarded as a man of integrity, intellect, and discipline. He is married and blessed with four children.

His appointment comes at a critical moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey, with expectations high that his tenure will usher in a new era of transparency, credibility, and institutional reform in the nation’s electoral process.