The Senate will on Thursday, October 16, 2025, screen Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) — the nominee of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the position of Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, Director of Information, Office of the Secretary, Research and Information, National Assembly. According to the statement, the screening exercise will hold at the Senate Chamber, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
President Tinubu had, in a letter read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requested the Senate’s confirmation of Amupitan’s appointment in line with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“In accordance with the provisions of Section 154 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),”
President Tinubu wrote.
The President expressed confidence that Amupitan’s appointment would strengthen the integrity and independence of the electoral body, describing him as a scholar and legal luminary with decades of experience in law, governance, and public administration.
If confirmed, Amupitan, a professor of law from Plateau State, will become the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to lead the electoral commission — a milestone expected to bring a stronger legal and ethical foundation to the management of Nigeria’s electoral process as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
His nomination has already drawn attention from political observers and civil society groups, who have called for a transparent and merit-driven screening process to reinforce public trust in INEC and the broader democratic process.
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