Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) has been identified as the top candidate to replace Professor Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly asked Yakubu to step aside on terminal leave ahead of the official end of his tenure. The development, insiders say, followed growing tensions within the presidency over some of Yakubu’s recent decisions at INEC.
Why Yakubu Was Asked to Step Aside
According to sources, President Tinubu became displeased with Yakubu’s actions in the final months of his tenure. The INEC boss was said to have approved the registration of new political parties, a move some within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) believed would disrupt Tinubu’s plans for re-election in 2027.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma was among those who briefed the president shortly after his return from a 12-day working trip. During the meeting, the governor reportedly alleged that Yakubu was also quietly backing a candidate in the Imo governorship race.
Following these concerns, Tinubu directed that Yakubu suspend all official duties. This instruction led to the sudden cancellation of INEC’s quarterly consultative meeting with political parties and a planned session with civil society groups.
Yakubu’s second and final term as INEC Chairman officially ends in the first week of December 2025. He was first appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2015, reappointed in 2020, and has served for nearly a decade.
Who Is Prof. Joash Amupitan?
Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan is a senior legal scholar and administrator with more than three decades of experience. He hails from Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Amupitan began his academic career in 1989 as an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Jos. He rose through the ranks, becoming a Reader in 2003 and a Professor of Law in 2008. Over the years, he has served in several leadership roles, including Head of Public Law, Dean of the Faculty of Law, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos.
In December 2023, he was appointed Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU). He also sits on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education.
Academically, Amupitan holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from the University of Jos (1987). He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He later obtained a Master of Laws in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Law in 2007, both from the University of Jos.
His career highlights include his elevation to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014. His areas of expertise span Evidence Law, Corporate Law, Governance, and Privatisation Law. He has also published widely on electoral reforms, privatisation frameworks, petroleum law, and corporate governance.
Professional Contributions
Beyond academics, Amupitan is an active member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the National Association of Law Teachers.
Colleagues describe him as a respected scholar with deep knowledge of electoral law—experience that could prove useful if he assumes leadership of INEC at a time when Nigeria’s electoral process is under increasing public scrutiny.
What Next?
President Tinubu is expected to forward a nomination for a new INEC chairman to the National Assembly soon. With Prof. Amupitan already being touted as the frontrunner, attention now shifts to how the appointment process will unfold in the coming weeks.
If confirmed, Amupitan will take charge of INEC at a critical period as preparations build toward the 2027 general elections.
