INEC Nominee Breaks Silence, Denies Claims Of Representing Tinubu In 2023 Election Tribunal

The incoming Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), has refuted claims that he served on President Bola Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 presidential election tribunal.

Amupitan made the clarification on Thursday while responding to questions during his screening before the Senate.

He said: “Before coming here, I obtained the certified true copy of the legal appearances at both the tribunal and the Supreme Court. I was not part of it. I never participated in any way.”

Following his nomination to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as INEC Chairman, rumours had circulated that Amupitan was among the lawyers who defended President Tinubu’s mandate during the election petition hearings.

The allegations sparked widespread debate over his impartiality as the next head of the nation’s electoral body.

However, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), who led President Tinubu’s legal team in 2023, has also dismissed the reports.

In a statement issued on October 11, 2025, Ogala confirmed that Amupitan’s name was not among the 123 lawyers — including 60 Senior Advocates of Nigeria — who represented Tinubu at the tribunal.

“Prof. Amupitan (SAN) was never, at any point, a member of the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team. His name does not appear among the more than one hundred and twenty-three legal practitioners formally engaged for that assignment,” Ogala stated.

He challenged those spreading the falsehood to present verifiable evidence to support their claims.

“At no time during the process was his counsel, opinion, or professional service sought or rendered. I challenge anyone peddling this rumour to produce credible proof. Any member of the public can request certified true copies of all filings to confirm this,” he added.

Ogala further cautioned against manipulating facts for political motives, warning that such actions could incite unnecessary public tension.

“While political discourse is normal in any democracy, it must be rooted in truth and responsibility. Deliberately twisting facts to inflame public sentiment serves no one and only threatens our collective peace,” he warned.