President Tinubu swears in Professor Joash Amupitan as INEC Chairman, urging him to protect Nigeria’s electoral integrity and strengthen institutional capacity

Joash Amupitan INEC Chairman — President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), charging him to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

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The brief ceremony took place at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where Amupitan took the oath of office at exactly 1:50 p.m. on Thursday.

Addressing the new electoral chief, President Tinubu urged him to safeguard the sanctity of elections in Nigeria and ensure that INEC remains an impartial, transparent, and technologically driven institution.

“Your responsibility is to protect the integrity of our elections and the credibility of the process. You must strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC and ensure Nigerians can continue to trust the ballot,” Tinubu said.

Amupitan’s swearing-in follows his confirmation by the Senate on October 16, after a rigorous screening session during which lawmakers examined his vision for electoral reforms and his plans to enhance INEC’s efficiency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Before his appointment, Professor Amupitan served as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos and is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria widely respected for his expertise in constitutional and electoral law.

His appointment succeeds that of former INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure concluded earlier this year.

The new chairman is expected to lead ongoing reforms aimed at improving voter registration, technology deployment, and electoral transparency across the country.

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Observers say Amupitan’s legal background and reform-oriented approach could play a pivotal role in rebuilding public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system, following recent calls for more transparent and accountable electoral management.