…Says He Will Deliver Credible, Transparent Elections

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the choice as well-deserved and a step toward strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

Amupitan, a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Professor of Law from Kogi State, hails from the North-Central region.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga — who also served as a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 general election — lauded both President Tinubu and the National Council of State for approving the appointment.

Zazzaga said the Forum had full confidence that Professor Amupitan would “deliver credible, free, and fair elections” throughout his tenure as Nigeria’s chief electoral umpire.

“The North-Central APC Forum welcomes with pride the appointment of one of the region’s illustrious sons, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

This appointment affirms the wealth of human capital in the North-Central region, which continues to contribute meaningfully to national development,” the statement read in part.

The Forum described Amupitan as “a round peg in a round hole”, noting that his extensive academic and professional experience makes him eminently qualified for the task ahead.

“Professor Amupitan’s record as an accomplished legal scholar, university administrator, and public intellectual speaks volumes.

We are confident that under his leadership, INEC will continue to promote transparency and strengthen public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process,” the statement added.

The group also thanked President Tinubu for entrusting the sensitive responsibility of leading the nation’s electoral body to a personality from the North-Central region, assuring him of the Forum’s continued loyalty and support.

Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is a respected academic and legal practitioner with over three decades of experience.

He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), specializing in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He obtained his LL.B (1987), LL.M (1993), and Ph.D (2007) from the same institution.

At UNIJOS, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008). Until his new appointment, he was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the university.

Professor Amupitan was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014, in recognition of his excellence in both the legal profession and academia.

Beyond the university system, he serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State. He is also a Board Member of Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom, and has previously served on the Council of Legal Education, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Board of Riss Oil Limited.

A prolific author, Professor Amupitan has written several authoritative books widely used in Nigerian legal education, including:

Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008)

Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008)

Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013)