President Bola Tinubu has appointed Kogi state born Professor of Law, Joash Ojo Amupitan as successor to Prof Mahmoud Yakubu as new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.Prof Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025 and exited on Tuesday, October 8.
The President used the opportunity of the National Council of State meeting to get the approved of the nomination of Professor Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central as the new INEC boss.
President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.
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 State and 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).
A distinguished Academic who believes in leadership by example, Professor Amupitan has held several Academic and Administrative positions including Representative of the Faculty of Law in several Boards in the University; Head of Department, Public Law; Dean, Faculty of Law; Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors, Member, Governing Council, University of Jos among many others.
A member of several Professional Bodies and Associations including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) and National Association of Law Teachers, Professor Amupitan is a seasoned Legal Luminary equipped with over Thirty-Four (34) years of Academic and Professional experience in addition to other community services he is rendering.
Professor Amupitan’s research interests are diverse and wide ranging from providing the Legal Framework for the Privatization of Public Enterprises in Nigeria, Reform of Electoral Laws in Nigeria to the Reform of Privatization Law in Nigeria and Petroleum Industries Law Reform in Nigeria among others.
He has over 50 Journal, Book Chapter, Conference, Monograph, Case Review and Research Report publications and has contributed to the successful execution of a number of national and internationally funded projects. He has successfully graduated Thirteen (13) M.Phil/PhD Candidates and more than 30 Master of Law Students under his supervision.
Professor Amupitan is happily married Dr (Mrs) Yemisi Amupitan and they are blessed with Four (4) children.