By Kingston Magare 16.10.2025
University of Jos deputy vice-chancellor Joash Amupitan has been cleared by the Nigerian Senate to be the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman.
Prof. Amupitan was nominated by President Bola Tinubu early in October and submitted his name to the Senate on Tuesday for confirmation. Amupitan was grilled for several hours by the lawmakers Thursday in Abuja during a plenary session.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio put Amupitan’s nomination for confirmation to a voice vote, and he was unanimously approved by the lawmakers
“The nomination of Joash Ojo Amupitan for appointment as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission is hereby confirmed,” Akpabio declared.
He would now be sworn in to take over the INEC, which had been under the leadership of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for 10 years.
During the hearing Prof. Amupitan had debunked claims he worked for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential petitions tribunal and court hearings.
“When I was coming here, I bought the certified true copy of the legal appearances at the tribunal and the Supreme Court. I was not part of it. I never, I did not partake in it,” Amupitan said.
Speaking on the bumblings of the INEC in the 2023 elections particulary the Result Viewing portal IReV and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), he said: “I have to audit the system, if I’m given the opportunity, to see what is actually wrong and whether we have what it takes as it is now,” he said.
“Because it is not just the INEC responsibility, but also that of other agencies like NCC, NIMC, and service providers who must work together to deliver technology that Nigerians can trust.”
Prof Amupitan...INEC chairman