President Bola Tinubu is expected to nominate Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following his 10-year tenure across two terms.
According to SaharaReporters, it remain only to formalise the appointment, the President has scheduled a meeting of the Council of State for this Thursday.
Amupitan is both a kinsman and longtime legal counsel for Senator Dino Melaye.
SaharaReporters exclusively learned that President Tinubu had directed Yakubu to proceed on leave ahead of the expiration of his tenure.
Sources described the move as a response to what they termed Yakubu’s “last-minute betrayal” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government that appointed him.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma reportedly met with President Tinubu shortly after the president returned from a 12-day working vacation.
Alleging that Yakubu’s efforts to register new political parties toward the end of his tenure had disrupted Tinubu’s preparations for a second term.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the governor also claimed that Yakubu was covertly supporting a candidate in the Imo State governorship election.
Following this briefing, Tinubu reportedly requested that Yakubu suspend all official duties and proceed on terminal leave.
Yakubu was first appointed INEC Chairman on October 21, 2015, by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, succeeding acting chairperson Amina Zakari.
Following Senate confirmation on October 29, 2015, he was sworn in on November 9, 2015.
After completing his first term in November 2020, Yakubu was nominated for a second and final term by President Buhari, confirmed by the Senate, and sworn in on December 1, 2020.
Tinubu is shopping for Prof. Yakubu’s replacement, and Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan is likely to be the next INEC Chairman, a top government source told SaharaReporters in September.
Who Is Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan
Amupitan is a legal scholar and administrator with over 34 years of academic and professional experience.
A native of Ijumu Local Government Area in Kogi State, he is married to Dr. (Mrs.) Yemisi Amupitan, and together they are blessed with four children.
His Academic Journey
Amupitan began his academic journey at the University of Jos in 1989 as an Assistant Lecturer.
He steadily rose through the academic ranks, becoming a Reader in 2003 and a Professor of Law in 2008.
Over the years, he has held several key administrative positions, including Head of Department of Public Law, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and a member of the University’s Governing Council.
He has also served on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education.
Today, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos.
In December 2023, Professor Amupitan was inaugurated as the second Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), thereby affording him affiliation with the school.
Amupitan Legal Journey
According to records online, he obtained his Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Jos in 1987 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.
After completing the Barrister at Law program at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos.
He went on to earn a Master of Law degree in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Law in 2007, both from the University of Jos.
In recognition of his achievements in the legal profession, he was conferred with the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.
His areas of specialisation include the Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law.
Amupitan has contributed to research, focusing on the legal frameworks for privatisation, reform of electoral laws, and reforms in petroleum and corporate governance laws.
He is an active member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the National Association of Law Teachers.
