Breaking: Prof. Joash Amupitan Set To Be Named INEC Chairman After Crucial Council Of State Meeting

Barring any last-minute changes, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to present his nominee for the position of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the National Council of State today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

This development follows the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, officially handed over to the most senior national commissioner, Dame May Agbamuche-Mbu, in an acting capacity.

According to reliable sources within the Presidency who spoke with Vanguard, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan has emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Yakubu and is expected to be formally announced after the Council of State meeting.

“He came highly recommended and has already undergone a comprehensive security screening,” a senior official disclosed.

Amupitan, a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, is reportedly Tinubu’s preferred choice among the three shortlisted candidates for the top electoral position.

Profile of the Front-Runner

Born on April 25, 1967, in Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is a renowned legal scholar with expertise in the Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law. He has decades of teaching and administrative experience at the University of Jos.

If confirmed, Tinubu’s prompt nomination will signal a sharp contrast to the approach of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who left the commission without a quorum for nearly four months after the expiration of Yakubu’s first term, leading to administrative setbacks.

Today’s Council of State meeting is expected to ratify Tinubu’s choice and officially set the tone for Nigeria’s next electoral cycle.