September 26, 2025
Fresh indications from the Presidency suggest that Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a distinguished legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), may emerge as the likely replacement for Professor Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This development comes just days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly directed Prof. Yakubu to proceed on terminal leave ahead of the expiration of his second and final tenure in December 2025. The move, sources disclosed, followed growing concerns within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) about Yakubu’s alleged decisions in the final months of his leadership.
Why Yakubu Was Asked to Step Aside
Insider accounts revealed that the president’s directive was informed by what was described as Yakubu’s “last-minute betrayal” of the APC government. According to reports, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State met privately with President Tinubu shortly after the president’s return from a 12-day working vacation.
Uzodimma reportedly alleged that Yakubu was fast-tracking the registration of new political parties, a move the APC views as disruptive to its consolidation plans ahead of the 2027 general elections. He also claimed Yakubu was covertly sympathetic to a candidate in the forthcoming Imo governorship election.
Following these revelations, President Tinubu ordered Yakubu to suspend all official duties. The directive forced INEC to abruptly cancel its quarterly consultative meeting with political parties as well as a planned engagement with civil society organisations.
Yakubu’s five-year tenure was originally scheduled to end in early December, marking the conclusion of his decade-long leadership at the commission. He was first appointed in October 2015 by former President Muhammadu Buhari and reappointed for a final term in 2020.
Spotlight on Amupitan
While no official announcement has been made, CoolNews Nigeria gathered that Professor Joash Amupitan is being strongly considered to step into the role. A respected academic with over three decades of experience in law and governance, Amupitan currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos.
Born in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan began his academic career in 1989 at the University of Jos as an Assistant Lecturer. He became a Reader in 2003 and a full Professor of Law in 2008. Over the years, he has held several strategic positions, including:
Head of Department of Public Law
Dean, Faculty of Law
Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors
Member, University Governing Council
He has also served on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education. In December 2023, he was inaugurated as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU).
Amupitan holds an LLB from the University of Jos (1987), was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, and went on to earn an LLM (1993) and PhD in Law (2007) from the same university. His elevation to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria came in 2014.
His academic specialisations span Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law. He has published widely on electoral reforms, privatisation frameworks, and petroleum law reforms.
What This Means for Nigeria’s Electoral System
Political watchers note that the appointment of a new INEC Chairman months before the next election cycle could significantly shape Nigeria’s democratic landscape. With Amupitan’s background in corporate governance and law reform, analysts believe he may bring a blend of academic rigour and institutional discipline to the commission.
However, concerns remain about whether his selection will be driven by competence or political loyalty. Civil society groups are already monitoring the process closely, warning against what they describe as “executive overreach” in the independence of INEC.
The Road Ahead
President Tinubu is expected to forward the name of his preferred nominee to the National Assembly for confirmation in the coming days. If appointed, Prof. Amupitan would be saddled with overseeing Nigeria’s electoral reforms, party registration processes, and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
For now, Nigerians await official confirmation from the Presidency and the Senate, even as the political class braces for another crucial transition in the leadership of the nation’s electoral umpire.
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