President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The ceremony, held at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, came a week after the Senate confirmed Amupitan’s appointment following his screening on October 16.
Speaking during the swearing-in, President Tinubu charged the new INEC chairman to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of the commission.
“As chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, your appointment and subsequent confirmation by the Senate reflect confidence in your competence and integrity,” the President said.
“This marks the beginning of a challenging yet rewarding journey. I trust you will discharge your duties with the highest sense of integrity, dedication, and patriotism.
“Our democracy has evolved over 25 years through innovation and reform. To sustain this progress, the integrity of our electoral system must remain beyond reproach. Elections must be free, fair, and credible.”
Tinubu emphasized the need for transparency at every stage of the electoral process — from registration to voting and counting — while urging Amupitan to lead reforms that strengthen public trust in elections.
“No electoral system is flawless,” he said, “but it is essential to continually strengthen our institutions to make them robust, resilient, and resistant to setbacks.”
Amupitan, dressed in a white agbada and gold cap, arrived at the State House early Thursday accompanied by presidential aides. After the swearing-in, he proceeded to the INEC headquarters to formally assume office as chairman.
Restoring credibility to elections
During his Senate screening last week, Amupitan pledged to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process through reforms that promote transparency and fairness.
“We must conduct elections where even the loser congratulates the winner and says, ‘You won fairly and well,’” he told lawmakers. “That is when voters’ confidence will truly be restored.”
He also dismissed reports linking him to President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, clarifying that he “never appeared before the tribunal or Supreme Court for any party.”
Amupitan, who succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, becomes the sixth substantive head of INEC since its establishment. His nomination was endorsed by the National Council of State before Senate confirmation.
Profile: Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN)
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, where he also serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).
He earned his LL.B and LL.M from the University of Jos and his Ph.D. in Law in 2007. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014.
His academic specialties include Company Law, Corporate Governance, and the Law of Evidence. He has served as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Head of the Department of Public Law at UNIJOS.
Amupitan also chairs the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State, and sits on the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
He is the author of several law texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008) and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013).
He is married with four children.
