By Jungle-Journalist.Com
Abuja – The long wait is over. The National Council of State has officially approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), confirming earlier speculations about President Bola Tinubu’s preferred choice to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
The approval was given during the Council’s meeting on Thursday in Abuja, where President Tinubu formally presented Amupitan’s nomination. The session, attended by former Heads of State, state governors, and key federal officials, reportedly gave the President’s nominee a unanimous endorsement, describing him as a man of “integrity, intellect, and professional depth.”
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Council’s decision paves the way for the forwarding of Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and final confirmation, in line with constitutional provisions.
Who Is Prof. Joash Amupitan?
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is the first person from the North-Central region to be nominated for the INEC chairmanship.
A distinguished academic and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos and doubles as Pro-Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A specialist in Company Law, Corporate Governance, and Evidence Law, Amupitan has authored several acclaimed legal texts and served on the governing boards of the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
A Mandate Under Watch
While President Tinubu praised Amupitan as “apolitical, disciplined, and deeply experienced in governance and law,” public reactions have been mixed.
Supporters hailed the appointment as a merit-based choice, while critics questioned whether the new INEC boss can maintain neutrality ahead of the 2026 off-season governorship elections and the high-stakes 2027 general polls.
“Every new INEC Chairman comes with promises of integrity, but what Nigerians are watching for is the courage to stand firm when political pressure mounts,” one civil society observer told Jungle-Journalist.Com on Friday.
Meanwhile, the acting INEC Chair, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, is expected to hand over formally once the Senate completes Amupitan’s confirmation.
The Road Ahead
Professor Amupitan assumes leadership of an electoral commission still struggling to regain public confidence after years of controversy over vote transmission, result delays, and allegations of political interference.
Observers say his biggest test will be to restore trust in the system, ensure operational transparency, and guarantee the independence of INEC in the face of Nigeria’s complex political pressures.
As one analyst put it:
“The law professor is stepping into a ring where even angels stumble. But if he stays true to his academic reputation for fairness and forthrightness, he may yet write a new chapter in Nigeria’s democratic story.”
Bottom line: With the Council of State’s endorsement, Professor Joash Amupitan now faces the Senate’s judgment — and, beyond that, the court of public opinion. The future of Nigeria’s democracy, once again, rests on the credibility of one man and the institution he must now lead.