Tinubu Swears In Joash Amupitan as New INEC Chairman, Tasks Him on Electoral Integrity‎

Tinubu Swears In Joash Amupitan as New INEC Chairman, Tasks Him on Electoral Integrity‎

By Abiola Adigun|Albarka 89.9 FM |October 23 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday swore in Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), charging him to safeguard the credibility and independence of Nigeria’s electoral process.
The brief ceremony, held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, saw Amupitan take the oath of office at exactly 1:50 p.m. in the presence of top government officials and dignitaries. Dressed in a white agbada and gold cap, the newly inaugurated INEC boss exchanged pleasantries with guests before the formal proceedings began.
In his remarks, President Tinubu urged Amupitan to uphold fairness, professionalism, and transparency in the conduct of elections, saying the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy rests on the commission’s impartiality.
“You have a sacred duty to safeguard the integrity of our electoral system and strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC,” Tinubu said. “Credibility, fairness and professionalism must define your tenure.”
Amupitan’s swearing-in follows his confirmation by the Senate on October 16 after a screening exercise that focused on his vision for electoral reforms and institutional strengthening.
During the confirmation hearing, the 58-year-old law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria had pledged sweeping reforms to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
“We must conduct elections where even the loser will congratulate the winner and say, ‘You won fairly and well,’” Amupitan told lawmakers. “When that happens, voters’ confidence will naturally be restored.”
He also outlined plans to push for amendments to the Electoral Act, clarify election timelines, and improve transparency in result transmission.
Amupitan, who hails from Plateau Kogi State, was formerly a Dean at the Faculty of Law, University of Jos, and is widely regarded for his expertise in constitutional and electoral law. He denied allegations linking him to President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 presidential election petition, insisting on his independence.
“I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any of the parties,” he stated during his screening.
Following his swearing-in, Amupitan is expected to assume duties immediately and oversee the transition process at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. He succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended on October 7, 2025.
Amupitan becomes the sixth substantive chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission since its establishment in 1998 — a position regarded as one of the most sensitive in Nigeria’s democratic framework.
His tenure begins at a time of heightened public demand for electoral credibility and reforms following contentious general elections in recent years.