Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN): Penciled for INEC Chairmanship position?
Sources say that Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) is the likely successor Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It was gathered that President Bola Tinubu has directed Yakubu to proceed on leave ahead of the expiration of his tenure on Dec. 1.
The move is perceived as a response to what Yakubu’s traducers term as his “last-minute betrayal” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government that appointed him.
Gov Hope Uzodimma of Imo was alleged to have met with Tinubu shortly after the president returned from a 12-day working vacation.
Uzodinma allegedly told the president that Yakubu’s efforts to register new political parties toward the end of his tenure was aimed at disrupting Tinubu’s preparations for a second term.
The governor also claimed that Yakubu was covertly supporting a candidate in the forthcoming Imo governorship election.
Following the briefing, it was learned, Tinubu then requested that Yakubu should suspend all official duties and proceed on his terminal leave.
Sources said the directive caused disruptions at INEC, leading to the abrupt cancellation of Yakubu’s final quarterly consultative meeting with political parties, and a planned session with civil society organisations.
The president is expected to submit the name of a new INEC chairman to the National Assembly in the coming days, with sources identifying Prof. Amupitan as the likely nominee.
Yakubu’s current five-year term is set to expire on Dec. 1, 2025, marking the conclusion of his 10-year service.
Recall that after completing his first term in Nov. 2020, Yakubu was nominated for a second and final term by President Buhari, and confirmed by the Senate, and sworn in on December 1, 2020.
“Tinubu is shopping for Prof. Yakubu’s replacement, and Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan is likely to be the next INEC Chairman,” a top government source said.
Amupitan is a legal luminary and administrator with about 35 years of academic and professional experience.
He is a native of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Amupitan began his academic journey at the University of Jos in 1989 as an Assistant Lecturer.
He steadily rose through the academic ranks, becoming a Reader in 2003 and a Professor of Law in 2008.
Over the years, he has held several key administrative positions, including Head of Department of Public Law, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and a member of the University’s Governing Council.
He has also served on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education.
He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University of Jos.
In Dec. 2023, Prof. Amupitan was inaugurated as the second Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU).
The versatile lawyer obtained his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Jos in 1987 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 after completing the Barrister at Law program at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos.
He went on to earn a Master of Laws in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Laws in 2007, both from the University of Jos.
In recognition of his achievements in the legal profession, he was conferred with the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.
His areas of specialisation include the Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law.
Throughout his career, Amupitan has contributed to research, focusing on the legal frameworks for privatisation, reform of electoral laws, and reforms in petroleum and corporate governance laws.
He is an active member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the National Association of Law Teachers.
He is married to Dr Yemisi Amupitan, and together they are blessed with four children.
