The Senate has officially confirmed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
His confirmation followed a thorough screening session on Thursday, during which senators questioned President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for over three hours. After the exercise, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the nomination to a voice vote, and Amupitan was unanimously approved without opposition.
Akpabio congratulated him and urged him to ensure that future elections under his leadership reflect the true will of the people.
During the screening, Professor Amupitan addressed claims linking him to the All Progressives Congress (APC) legal team during the 2023 presidential election tribunal. He clarified that he had never served as counsel for the APC or President Tinubu, emphasizing that court records and law reports are publicly available to verify this.
He assured lawmakers that, once in office, his priority would be to conduct credible elections where “losers will willingly congratulate winners,” promoting national unity and democratic growth. He also pledged to strengthen INEC’s logistics operations, introduce measures such as the use of clones to secure election materials, and intensify voter education efforts nationwide.
The nominee appeared before the Senate at 12:50 p.m., following a motion by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) to temporarily suspend Order 12 to allow his entry into the chamber. The motion was seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).
Before the questioning began, Akpabio informed senators that Amupitan had been cleared by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) after thorough vetting and fingerprint checks. Similar clearances were also issued by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), confirming that he had no criminal record.
Earlier in the week, President Bola Tinubu had written to the Senate, requesting Amupitan’s screening and swift confirmation in line with Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The President’s letter, read by Akpabio, included the nominee’s curriculum vitae and called for expedited legislative action.
Following the reading, Akpabio referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration, which ultimately led to Amupitan’s approval as INEC Chairman.
