President Tinubu Swears In Professor Joash Amupitan as INEC Chairman
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday officially inaugurated Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The swearing-in ceremony preceded an expanded meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC).
Charging the new INEC Chairman, President Tinubu urged him to prioritize upholding the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process and to strengthen the commission’s institutional capacity to deliver free, fair, and credible elections.
Professor Amupitan’s appointment followed the unanimous endorsement of his nomination by the National Council of State and subsequent confirmation by the Senate via voice vote, presided over by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
Professor Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) since 2014, is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), specializing in company law, law of evidence, corporate governance, and privatization law. He hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
His immediate responsibilities as the head of the electoral body include preparations for the Anambra State governorship election slated for November 2025 and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections in February 2026.
Meanwhile, stakeholders and members of key Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have urged the new INEC boss to consolidate on the gains and reforms achieved under the immediate past Chairman, Yakubu.
At a colloquium organized by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Reflections on a Decade of INEC Leadership,” speakers agreed that consolidating the institutional and technological foundations laid under Yakubu is key to building a more credible and transparent electoral system.
Hon. Dipo Olayoku, Deputy National Chairman of IPAC, acknowledged the immense complexity of conducting elections in Nigeria, noting that the challenge extends beyond INEC, as many citizens still believe that participating in an election automatically guarantees a win.
