President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

Amupitan’s swearing in by the President comes a week after the Senate confirmed his appointment as INEC Chairman following a rigorous screening session on October 16.

Tinubu charged Prof. Amupitan to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and electoral process as well as strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC.

“As the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, your nomination to the important role and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate is a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and the legislative arm of government. The significant achievement marked the beginning of a challenging yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibilities with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism.

“Our democracy has come a long way. In 25 years, we have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly our electoral system, through innovation and reforms. We have learned a great deal along the way, and have improved significantly from where we were many years ago.

“We must now remain committed to the principles that underpin democracy in a complex, multifaceted society.

“The electoral process is a vital part of a democracy, safeguarding the people’s exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future. To ensure that our democracy continues to flourish, the integrity of our electoral system must be beyond reproach. It is important that our elections are free, fair and credible.

“We must consistently improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and innovating for today and tomorrow. To maintain public trust in elections, electoral integrity must be protected. All aspects of the process, from registration to campaigning, immediate access, voting and counting should be transparent, non-violent and be credible.

“No electoral system is flawless, but since elections are vital to a nation’s future, it is essential to continually strengthen electoral institutions, ensuring they are robust, resilient and safeguarded against official setbacks.

“I therefore charge you, Professor, as you take on this important assignment to protect the integrity of our elections and electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC,” Tinubu said.

Amupitan arrived at the State House on Thursday morning, dressed in a white ‘agbada’ paired with a gold cap, exchanging greetings with onlookers ahead of the ceremony to formalise his assumption of office as the head of the nation’s electoral umpire.

The professor of Law was accompanied by some presidential aides.

During his screening at the Senate last week, the 58-year-old don was questioned by senators on his plans to restore credibility to Nigeria’s electoral process and drive meaningful reforms within the commission.

Amupitan, who was nominated by President Tinubu and endorsed by the National Council of State, succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as INEC Chairman officially ended recently.

He thus becomes the sixth substantive head of the electoral body since its establishment.

While addressing the Senate during his screening, Amupitan had promised to prioritise electoral reforms that would ensure transparent polls and boost public confidence in election outcomes.

The professor stated that his focus would be on strengthening the provisions of the Electoral Act to address inconsistencies in election timelines and promote credibility in the process.

“We must conduct elections where even the loser will congratulate the winner and say, ‘You won fairly and well.’ When that happens, voters’ confidence will naturally be restored,” he said.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also dismissed reports linking him to President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Court, clarifying that he neither represented the President nor appeared for any of the opposition candidates.

“I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any of the parties,” he told lawmakers, reaffirming his neutrality.

Amupitan is expected to take over immediately after his swearing-in and begin the transition process at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Born on April 25, 1967, the 58-year-old Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is 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.

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.

Amupitan 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.

He currently 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).