The African Democratic Congress has responded to the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued by the ADC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, shortly after Amupitan’s nomination was announced on Thursday, the opposition party expressed its readiness to extend the new INEC chair the benefit of the doubt in his leadership of the electoral body.
In the statement titled ‘ADC’s Preliminary Reaction to the Nomination of Professor Amupitan as New INEC Chairman’, the opposition party conveyed its expectation that the law professor will work to restore the confidence of both Nigerians and the international community in the electoral process of Nigeria.
“We are cautious. However, we anticipate that the new INEC Chairman will possess a personal ambition to improve and restore the trust of Nigerians and the world in Nigerian elections.
“He must recognize that his allegiance lies with the Nigerian populace, not the government.
“We are prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt based on his previous achievements. Nevertheless, he now has the chance to establish a commendable reputation that his children can take pride in, or to tarnish his legacy and face disgrace.
“He should also keep in mind that his term will typically extend beyond a single electoral cycle. Therefore, he must consider the interests of those who appointed him,” the statement indicated.
On Thursday, the National Council of State approved the nomination of Professor Amupitan as the new Chairman of INEC.
This information was shared in a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
He stated that President Bola Tinubu nominated Amupitan to fill the vacant position following the departure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served from 2015 until October 2025.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu informed the council that Amupitan is the first individual from Kogi, a North-Central state, to be nominated for this role and is politically neutral.
“Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo characterizing Amupitan as a person of integrity,” the statement indicated.
It further stated that in accordance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for evaluation.
Born on April 25, 1967, the 58-year-old Amupitan originates from Ayetoro Gbede in the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, located in Plateau State, and is also an alumnus of this institution.
His areas of expertise include Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He attained the status of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.
After completing his primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin from 1982 to 1984, followed by the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was admitted to the bar in 1988.
Amupitan obtained an LLM from UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amidst an academic career that commenced in 1989, after his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.
He currently holds the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, which he manages alongside his role as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
