By Israel Adamu, Jos
The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Kogi State, hails from the North-Central region.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, who is also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 elections, the Forum lauded the National Council of State for approving Amupitan’s appointment.
The Forum expressed confidence that the new INEC boss will deliver free, fair, and credible elections throughout his tenure, while assuring President Tinubu and Nigerians of the Forum’s full support.
The statement described Professor Amupitan’s appointment as a reflection of the calibre of human resources available in the North-Central region capable of handling critical national assignments. It further commended President Tinubu for his choice, describing Amupitan as a round peg in a round hole given his distinguished career as a legal scholar, academic, and administrator.
The Forum noted that Amupitan’s service at the University of Jos, where he has lectured and mentored generations of lawyers, is a strong testament to his competence and integrity, expressing confidence that he will deliver credible elections during his tenure as INEC Chairman.
Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), with specializations in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
He was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014, after decades of distinguished service in academia.
Amupitan has served in several leadership positions at UNIJOS, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008). Until his appointment, he was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the university.
Beyond the university, he also serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
He has sat on various boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom, and has previously served on the Council of Legal Education, the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and as a board member of Riss Oil Limited.
Professor Amupitan is also a prolific author of legal textbooks widely used in Nigerian universities, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013).
Born on April 25, 1967, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic (1982–1984) and the University of Jos (1984–1987), where he later obtained his LLM (1993) and PhD (2007).
