BREAKING: Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan Considered As Successor To INEC Chairman Yakubu
President Bola Tinubu’s search for a new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be near an end following Tinubu’s alleged strong consideration of Kogi State-born Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN.
A highly placed presidency source, last night, confirmed the development when asked if the news doing the rounds about the nomination of a replacement for the outgoing chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, was true.
The source simply replied, “Yes ooo.”
But a close friend of Amupitan had also confirmed the news, and said while he was not sure the nomination had been announced, he could confirm he was being strongly considered.
Replacing Yakubu had become necessary as his tenure began to wind down. He was appointed in 2015 by the late President Muhammadu Buhari and had almost served out his two terms of 10 years.
THISDAY checks revealed that Yakubu had planned to leave the office in June, but was persuaded by the presidency, while the search for a suitable replacement continued.
During his tenure, Yakubu introduced some innovations to improve the electoral process, although he was also criticised largely for some of the misdeeds of the commission, especially his repeated declaration of inconclusive polls.
Some of the innovations under his leadership included simultaneous accreditations and voting; introduction of Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which replaced the Smart Card reader; INEC Results Viewing Portal (IRev), which allowed transmission of result from polluting units to INEC server.
With his nomination, Amupitan would be in charge of the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November 6, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled to hold on February 21, 2026; Ekiti state governorship election, as well as Osun governorship election holding in 2026; and the 2027 general election.
Amupitan is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), University of Jos. He is a Professor of Law with specialisation and experience in Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law and Privatisation Law.
He was born on April 25, 1967 in Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He attended St. Barnabas Secondary School, Kabba, Kogi State, between 1977 and 1982.
Amupitan attended Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin, now Kwara State Polytechnic, between 1982 and 1984, for his Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Between 1984 and 1987, he attended the University of Jos, where he obtained his LL.B. Hons Degree in 1987, emerging as the best graduating student that year and won all the academic awards in the Faculty of Law, including University of Jos Prize for the best Graduating Law Student, 1987.
Amupitan also won the Richard Akinjide’s Prize for the Best Graduating Law Student, 1987, Gally-Brown Peterside Prize for the best Graduating law student, 1987, UNIJOS Chancellor Prize for the best graduating student, 1987.
He attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, in 1988 and was called to the Nigeria Bar on November 3, 1988. He obtained his Masters of Law degree from the University of Jos in 1993 and PhD in Law in 2007.
Amupitan joined the service of University of Jos in 1989 as an Assistant Lecturer and became a Professor of Law on October 1, 2008.
He has taught in the university for 51 years and has supervised several Ph.D and Masters students. In June 2014, he won the Teslim Elias Award for a meritorious service – having taught in a Nigerian university for over 25 years.
In June 2006, Amupitan was appointed Head, Department of Public Law, University of Jos, a position he held until May 26, 2008 when he was appointed Dean, Faculty of Law.
He was later elected as substantive Dean of Faculty of Law in August 2010 and re-elected for another term of two years in August 2012. He also served as Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors, University of Jos, between June 2012 and August 2014.
Amupitan’s area of specialisation is in Company Law, Corporate Governance Law and the Law of Evidence. He has taught Company Law and Law of Evidence at undergraduate level since 1989 and Law of Corporate Governance to postgraduate students since 2006.
He has written six books in the areas of Law of Evidence, Company Law, Corporate Governance Law and Trust Law.
His first book was on Documentary Evidence, titled, “Documentary Evidence in Nigeria,” published by Hilltop Publishers, Ibadan, in 2008. In 2013, he published his major work in Evidence, titled, “Evidence Law: Theory and Practise in Nigeria.”
He also has a book on Corporate Governance, titled, “Corporate Governance: Models and Principles,” published by Hilltop Publishers, Ibadan, in 2008. This was the first major book on Corporate Governance in Nigeria.
In 2013, he published his book on Company Law, titled, “Principles of Company Law in Nigeria.” With the enactment of the Companies and Allied Matters Act in 2020, the second edition is underway.
Amupitan has also been involved in several litigations at all levels of courts in Nigeria, spanning electoral matters, constitutional matters, criminal matters, corporate matters, land matters etc.
He has served on the board of several companies, including, Board Member, Abuja Investments Company Limited, 2018 till date; Board Member, Abuja Film Village Company Limited, 2022 till date; Board Member, Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom, 2021 till date, among others.
Amupitan has also served on the Governing Council of several Institutions within and outside Nigeria and held other administrative positions within the university system.
He was a consultant to the 8th House of Representatives on the Petroleum Industry Bill, 2015-2019. In 2004, Amupitan was appointed a visiting scholar by the Institute of International Education, Department of State, USA, to the Boyd’s College of Law, University of Iowa, United States.
He has served as an external examiner (Post Graduate) and External Assessor (Professorial Rank) to several Institutions within and outside Nigeria, such as University of Fort Hare; National Islamic University, Malaysia; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Ilorin; University of Calabar; Benue State University; Kogi State University; University of Lagos; University of Benin; and Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti.
Amupitan was a member of Vision 2020 on Corporate Governance Thematic Group, 2009. The group helped put the Vision 2020 documents together for the federal government.
He was also a member of Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Conflicts in Namu Town, Qua’an Pan Local Government Area, Plateau State, 2005-2006. The report of the panel helped in resolving the crisis in that part of Plateau State.
He is a member of several professional associations, such as International Bar Association (IBA), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT), Nigerian Institute of Management, and International Association of Law School (IALS).
Amupitan has published over 70 articles in reputable journals and books. He has taught the Law of Evidence and Company for three decades.
He was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in August 2014 and also appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, University of Jos on October 25, 2022.
He is also Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji, Arakeji, Osun State. He is a Member of Chartered Institute of Director (CIoD).
