President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly settled on Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ahead of the expiration of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure in December 2025.
Sources within government circles say Yakubu was directed to proceed on terminal leave following allegations of “last-minute betrayal” of the administration that appointed him. His efforts to register new political parties and alleged covert support for a candidate in the Imo State governorship election were said to have unsettled the presidency.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State is believed to have briefed the president shortly after his return from a 12-day working vacation, prompting the directive that Yakubu suspend all official duties. The move disrupted INEC’s scheduled final consultative meetings with political parties and civil society organisations.
Yakubu’s 10-year tenure is set to end in early December, after first being appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and serving two consecutive terms.
Profile of Prof. Amupitan
Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan is a seasoned legal scholar and administrator with over three decades of experience in academia and law. A native of Ijumu Local Government Area in Kogi State, he is married to Dr. Yemisi Amupitan, and they have four children.
He began his academic career at the University of Jos in 1989 and rose to become a Professor of Law in 2008. Over the years, he has served in key administrative roles including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and member of the University Governing Council. He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos.
Beyond the university, Amupitan has served on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Council of Legal Education, and most recently as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU).
He holds LL.B, LL.M, and Ph.D. degrees in Law from the University of Jos, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. In 2014, he was elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
His areas of expertise include Evidence Law, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law. He has also made significant contributions to legal research, particularly in electoral reforms, petroleum law, and governance frameworks.
Professor Amupitan is a member of several professional associations, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the National Association of Law Teachers.
