The National Council of State has unanimously given its blessings to the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central region as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
A statement released by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga and obtained by The Legal Observer, says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Professor Amupitan’s name to the Council during its meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as the preferred nominee to fill the vacant position left by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended in October 2025 after serving for a decade.
President Tinubu described the nominee as an accomplished academic, an apolitical figure, and the first individual from Kogi State in the North-Central zone to be nominated for the position. The Council members, including former heads of state and governors, expressed unanimous support for the nomination, with Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commending Professor Amupitan’s integrity and track record of excellence.
In accordance with constitutional provisions, the President is expected to forward Professor Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Professor Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Plateau State, and an alumnus of the same institution. A legal scholar of high repute, his areas of expertise include Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He attained the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014
