Joash Amupitan has been appointed the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Bola Tinubu.  ,
Following a screening session on October 16, Amupitan’s swearing in by the president took place a week after the Senate approved his appointment.
The professor of law was given the task of President Tinubu to enhance INEC’s institutional capacity and ensure the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and electoral process.
Your appointment to the crucial position and the Senate’s confirmation as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission are testament to your capacity and the trust you have in the executive and legislative branches of the government.
I firmly believe that you will approach your responsibilities with the highest degree of integrity, dedication, and patriotism. “The significant achievement marked the beginning of a challenging but rewarding journey.
“Our democracy has advanced significantly.” Through innovation and reforms, we have strengthened and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly our electoral system, over the past 25 years. Along the way, we have gained a lot and made significant improvements over what we had before.
We must now continue to adhere to the principles that govern democracy in a complex, multifaceted society.
Beyond Reproach: Integrity
The integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system must be beyond reproach, according to Tinubu, in order for it to continue to prosper.
The people’s exclusive right to choose their leaders and determine their future are protected by the electoral process, which is a crucial component of democracy. Our electoral system must be unwaveringly trustworthy in order for our democracy to continue to flourish. Our elections need to be fair, credible, and free.
We must constantly improve the electoral process by addressing the issues of yesterday and creating new possibilities for the present and future. Election integrity must be maintained in order to keep the public informed about elections.
“All facets of the process, from registration to campaigning, to voting and counting, must be transparent, non-violent, and credible.
No electoral system is perfect, but since elections are crucial for a country’s future, it is crucial to constantly strengthen electoral institutions, making sure they are strong, resilient, and protected from official setbacks.
The President reaffirmed that “I therefore charge you, Professor, as you take on this crucial assignment to advance the integrity of our elections and electoral process and strengthen INEC’s institutional capacity.”
Amupitan met with onlookers at the State House on Thursday morning, clad in a white “agbada” and sporting a gold cap, and greeted them as he officially assumed the position of head of the nation’s electoral umpire.
Some presidential advisers accompanied the professor.
Read more about Amupitan’s confirmation as INEC Chairman in the Senate.
He resuming his duties as the new chairman shortly after taking the oath of office.
Restoring Election Credibility
Senators questioned the 58-year-old don about his plans to bring about positive changes in the commission and restore credibility to the electoral process during his screening last week at the Senate.
Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose term as INEC Chairman officially ended recently and was nominated by President Tinubu and supported by the National Council of State.
Since its founding, he is the electoral body’s sixth substantive head.
Amupitan had promised to prioritize electoral reforms that would boost voter confidence and ensure transparent polls while speaking to the Senate during his screening.
The professor stated that his main goals would be to strengthen the Electoral Act’s provisions to address irregularities in election dates and increase legitimacy.
“We must conduct elections where even the loser can congratulate the winner and declare, “You won fairly and well. When that occurs, voters’ confidence will naturally be restored, he said.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria clarified that he had never represented the President or represented any of the opposition candidates in the statement that he had also refuted reports that he had spoken to President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Court.
He reiterated his impartiality to lawmakers by saying, “I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any of the parties.”
Profile
The 58-year-old Amupitan was born on April 25, 1967, and is from Kogi State’s Ijumu Local Government Area known as Ayetoro Gbede.
He is Plateau State University of Jos’ Professor of Law. He graduated from the university as well.
He has a particular area of expertise in corporate law, law of evidence, corporate governance, and privatization law. In September 2014, he was appointed to the Nigerian Senior Advocate.
He attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987 after earning his primary and secondary education. In 1988, he was referred to the bar.
Amupitan completed his academic career in 1989 with a 1988-89 National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation, earning both an LLM and a PhD in 2007.
Prior to his appointment, he served as the University of Jos’ deputy vice-chancellor (administration), as well as the Joseph Ayo Babalola University’s governor and chairman.
He is currently the head of public law at UNIJOS, along with the committee of directors and deans from 2012 to 2014.
In addition to his academic duties, Amupitan also serves on the boards of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and the Council of Legal Education, among other positions.
He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja (1996-2004).
Amupitan is the author of numerous legal books, including an introduction to the law of trust in Nigeria (2014), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
