Tag: Prof. Amupitan

…President to forward name to Senate for confirmation

The National Council of State, on Thursday, unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The appointment followed the presentation of Amupitan’s name by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Council during its hybrid session at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The nomination is to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC chairman from 2015 until October 2025.

President Tinubu, while presenting the nominee, described Professor Amupitan as an accomplished scholar and legal luminary of impeccable character, noting that he is the first individual from Kogi State, in the North-Central region, to be nominated for the position.

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A statement issued on Thursday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President also emphasized that the nominee is non-partisan and possesses a distinguished record in academia and legal practice.

Council members endorsed the nomination unanimously, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State describing Amupitan as “a man of integrity and sound judgment.”

In line with constitutional requirements, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Aged 58, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

A Professor of Law at the University of Jos, he currently serves as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and concurrently as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

A seasoned academic and legal practitioner, Amupitan is an alumnus of the University of Jos, where he obtained his LL.B. in 1987, LL.M. in 1993, and Ph.D. in 2007.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.

He began his teaching career at the University of Jos in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service with the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.

Over the years, he has served in several key positions at the institution, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008).

Beyond academia, Amupitan has contributed to national development through various professional and corporate engagements.

He has served as a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Council of Legal Education, and as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom, and Riss Oil Limited, Abuja.

An accomplished author, Professor Amupitan has published several seminal works in law, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013), and Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

He is married and blessed with four children.

President Bola Tinubu has presented Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from North-Central as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He presented Prof. Amupitan at the National Council of State meeting.

A statement by presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga said, “The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.

“President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.

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“Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.

“In compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening.

“Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State, is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau. He is also an alumnus of the university.

“He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.

“Amupitan was born on April 25, 1967.

“After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was called to the bar in 1988.

“He earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.

“Currently, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

“Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).

“Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja (1996-2004).

“Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013)  and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).”