Meet Prof Amupitan, Tinubu’s pick for INEC chairmanship

Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan has long been a respected figure in Nigeria’s legal and academic circles. With decades of scholarship, administrative leadership, and commitment to electoral reform, he has now gained national prominence after being nominated by President Bola Tinubu to the chairmanship of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

To many, his appointment exudes hope of a shift from purely academic and legal influence to leadership in Nigeria’s electoral governance.

Prof Joash Amupitan is a distinguished legal scholar, academic administrator, and public servant who hails from Kogi State. Born in 1967 in Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area, he has built a reputation as a scholar in corporate governance, evidence law, privatisation, and electoral law.

Over the years, he rose through the ranks of academia, held key positions in university administration, and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Recently, he has been nominated by President Tinubu as the next Chairman of INEC, pending National Assembly confirmation.

Educational Background

Amupitan came from a family of educators; his mother, Alice Ajigba Amupitan, was an educator and church leader in Kogi state. He earned his LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) from the University of Jos in 1987.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 after completing the Barrister-at-Law program at the Nigerian Law School. He then attained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Jos in 1993 and later a PhD in Law from the same institution in 2007. His areas of specialisation include corporate governance, evidence law, privatisation, and reforms in constitutional and electoral law.

Amupitan’s Career Journey Before INEC

Prof. Amupitan began his career in academia when he joined the University of Jos as an Assistant Lecturer in 1989. Over time, he took on roles such as Head of Department (Public Law), Dean of Faculty of Law, and Chair of the Committee of Deans & Directors.

He also contributed to national debates through publications and research, authoring books, chapters, and journal articles in areas like corporate governance, privatisation, evidence law, and legal reforms.

Public/Institutional Service

Amupitan has served on several institutional boards and governing councils, including the University of Jos Governing Council, Council of Legal Education, and the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. In December 2023, he was inaugurated as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Osun State.

Editorial/Thought Leadership

While much of his reputation is built from academia and administration, Prof. Amupitan has played roles in legal scholarship, publishing commentaries, supervising doctoral students, and contributing to national legal discourse.

Challenges to Solve as New INEC Chair

f eventually confirmed as the next INEC Chairman, Prof. Amupitan will inherit many deep-rooted challenges that have long shaped Nigeria’s electoral system. From logistics and funding to voter trust and election security, his tenure will require both administrative innovation and moral courage to reposition the commission for credibility and efficiency.

1) Logistics & Operational Gaps

One of the biggest challenges before Prof. Amupitan will be INEC’s complex logistics network. Nigeria’s vast geography, spanning urban centres, riverine communities, and conflict-prone areas, makes the distribution of election materials a massive chore. Delays in transporting sensitive and non-sensitive materials, vehicle shortages, and coordination issues among field officials have repeatedly stretched election timelines.

He will need to review INEC’s logistics architecture, strengthen partnerships with transport unions, improve real-time monitoring systems, and ensure timely deployment of materials and personnel, especially in remote regions.

2) Funding & Resource Management

Election management is capital-intensive. Prof. Amupitan will have to navigate timely and transparent funding from the federal government while ensuring judicious allocation of resources within the commission. Past elections have seen delays in fund disbursement, creating bottlenecks in planning and execution.

To address this issue, he will need to push for early budget approvals, digital accounting systems, and procurement transparency that enhances public trust. Additionally, the growing use of technology like BVAS and IReV demands sustained investment in infrastructure, maintenance, and training, making financial prudence non-negotiable.

3) Voter Trust & Institutional Credibility

Perhaps the most pressing challenge will be rebuilding citizens’ confidence in INEC. The 2023 general elections left many Nigerians sceptical about the commission’s credibility due to issues such as technical glitches, result transmission delays, and perceived inconsistencies.

Prof. Amupitan’s leadership will be tested on openness, communication, and fairness. He must prioritise institutional reforms that strengthen internal checks, improve real-time communication with the public, and promote transparency in results management. Restoring credibility will not only depend on technology but also on human integrity and accountability within the commission’s ranks.

4) Election Security

Security remains a major player in voter turnout and election credibility. Electoral violence, ballot snatching, and intimidation of voters and officials continue to occur in several regions. As Chair, Prof. Amupitan will need to aid closer collaboration with the Police, Civil Defence, and the military, while promoting intelligence-sharing mechanisms to prevent threats.

Additionally, training ad-hoc staff and polling officials is crucial, covering safety protocols, conflict resolution, and emergency response during elections.

5) Upcoming Elections & Institutional Continuity

With off-cycle gubernatorial elections and the 2027 general elections on the horizon, Prof. Amupitan will be responsible for implementing lessons learned from 2023 while laying the groundwork for improved voter experience.

This includes refining voter registration systems, enhancing electronic result transmission, and ensuring that legal and tribunal disputes are minimised through due process and proactive engagement with stakeholders.

He will also need to sustain institutional memory, ensuring INEC’s reforms outlive his tenure through capacity building, data management, and continuity planning.

Quick Facts About Prof Joash Amupitan

Full Name	Joash Ojo Amputian
State of Origin	Kogi State
Age	58
Place of Birth	Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu LGA, Kogi State
Education	LL.B (Unijos), LL.M, Ph.D (Unijos)
Profession	Professor of Law, Legal Scholar, Academic Administrator
Previous role	Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), UniJos; Pro-Chancellor, JABU
INEC Position	Nominated Chairman of INEC (designate)
Notable Achievement	Conferred Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2024 (or 2024/2025)
Date appointed to INEC Chair	Nominated 8 October 2025
Previous Public Service	University administration, legal reform committees, and governorship in institutional boards

Amupitan’s Appointment

Prof. Joash Amupitan was nominated and approved as Chairman of INEC on 9 October 2025, succeeding Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. If confirmed, his tenure will test how academic rigour, institutional ethics, and legal scholarship can translate into managing Nigeria’s complex electoral environment.

His strengths in governance, legal reform, and administrative leadership suggest he may pursue structural reforms in INEC. But the true measure will come in delivering credible, peaceful elections and restoring public trust.