Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), according to reports.
SaharaReporters disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed Yakubu to proceed on terminal leave ahead of the expiration of his second and final tenure in December 2025. The move reportedly followed allegations of a “last-minute betrayal” of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State was said to have briefed President Tinubu on Yakubu’s alleged attempts to register new political parties and his perceived covert support for a candidate in the forthcoming Imo governorship election. The development, sources claimed, prompted the president to order Yakubu to step aside, causing the abrupt cancellation of his scheduled consultative meetings with political parties and civil society groups.
With Yakubu’s tenure due to end after 10 years in office, President Tinubu is expected to forward the name of a new INEC chairman to the National Assembly soon, with Prof. Amupitan widely tipped as his preferred nominee.
Profile of Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN)
A distinguished legal scholar and administrator, Prof. Amupitan hails from Ijumu LGA in Kogi State. He holds LL.B, LL.M, and Ph.D. degrees in Law from the University of Jos, where he began his academic career in 1989 and rose to the rank of Professor in 2008.
He has held several leadership positions including Head of Department of Public Law, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University of Jos.
Beyond the university system, Amupitan has served on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Council of Legal Education, and Joseph Ayo Babalola University, where he is Pro-Chancellor and Council Chairman.
In recognition of his contributions to the legal profession, he was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014. His areas of specialisation include Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law.
