Senate Affirms Amupitan As INEC New Chairman

Senate Affirms Amupitan As INEC New Chairman

The Senate has officially confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

His confirmation followed a voice vote conducted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio after Amupitan underwent a screening session and responded to questions from lawmakers.

Earlier in the day, Professor Amupitan arrived at the National Assembly complex, where he exchanged pleasantries with senators. He was accompanied by Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo and other dignitaries.

At about 12:50 p.m., the nominee was ushered into the Senate chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado, and took his seat ahead of the screening exercise.

Before the proceedings began, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) moved a motion to suspend Order 12 to allow visitors into the chamber, which was seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).

Senate President Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family, and well-wishers to the Red Chamber, commending them for their attendance.

He also informed senators that the nominee had been cleared by the National Security Adviser’s office, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, which confirmed he had no criminal record.

The screening exercise began around 12:55 p.m. following Akpabio’s opening remarks, during which he outlined the procedures for assessing the nominee’s credentials.

Discussions during the session centered on Amupitan’s vision for ensuring credible elections, his proposed reforms for INEC, and strategies to strengthen the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Following his confirmation, Professor Amupitan will now oversee preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and set the stage for the 2027 general elections.

Recall that as reported earlier, President Bola Tinubu nominated Amupitan, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as INEC Chairman.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan is widely recognized for his expertise in constitutional and international law.