President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially sworn in Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The ceremony took place at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, October 23, 2025, with Amupitan taking the oath of office at exactly 1:50 p.m.
Dressed in a white agbada and gold cap, the 58-year-old law professor from Kogi State took his oath before a gathering of dignitaries, marking his formal assumption of office.
Professor Amupitan pledged to discharge his duties “in accordance with the law” and to exercise the powers vested in him with fairness and responsibility.
President Tinubu congratulated the new INEC boss and charged him to uphold the principles of democracy with integrity and courage. “Approach your responsibilities with the highest level of integrity and patriotism,” the President urged.
He reminded Amupitan that the credibility of elections remains the foundation of public trust in democracy. “To maintain trust in elections, electoral integrity must be protected,” Tinubu added.
The appointment of Professor Amupitan followed his confirmation by the Senate after a rigorous screening session presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Lawmakers had earlier endorsed his nomination, which was approved by the National Council of State and presented by President Tinubu to fill the vacancy left by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose decade-long tenure ended in October 2025.
During his Senate screening on October 16, Amupitan outlined his priorities for INEC, pledging to restore public trust in the electoral system and strengthen the Commission’s independence.
He promised to conduct elections where “even the loser will congratulate the winner” and to collaborate with key agencies such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to improve voter verification and data integrity.
Analysts say Amupitan’s appointment comes at a sensitive moment for INEC, as Nigeria faces challenges over the transparency and efficiency of its electoral processes.
The 2023 general elections exposed issues about logistics, result transmission, and institutional trust. The new chairman is expected to tackle issues around technological upgrades in voter registration and result collation, legal reforms to fortify the Electoral Act, and more transparent handling of candidate screening and election disputes.
Professor Joash Amupitan succeeds Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to 2025. Yakubu’s tenure saw major reforms, including the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), both aimed at improving election credibility.
However, his administration also faced issues over delayed result transmission and logistical failures during major polls.
Amupitan’s appointment has been described as a strategic one, balancing regional representation within federal institutions, as he hails from the North-Central region, a political bridge between Nigeria’s North and South.
A seasoned academic and lawyer, Professor Amupitan is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos and the Pro-Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State. Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Kogi State, he has built a distinguished career in law, specialising in Company Law, Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation.
He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014 and has held several leadership positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Law and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors at the University of Jos.
The expectations for his tenure are high, the trust deficit is deep, and the need for reform is urgent. The public hopes Amupitan restores faith in the ballot box.
