Barring any last-minute change, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to present his nominee for the position of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the National Council of State today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The tenure of the current INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, expires next month. On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Yakubu formally handed over to the most senior National Commissioner, Dame May Agbamuche-Mbu, in acting capacity.
Among the three individuals shortlisted to succeed Yakubu, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan reportedly emerged as the top choice and is expected to be unveiled once the Council of State is briefed. Presidency sources confirmed that Amupitan has already undergone security screening.
Amupitan, a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, hails from Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Born on April 25, 1967, he specialises in Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law.
Tinubu’s prompt action contrasts sharply with the approach of his predecessor, late President Muhammadu Buhari, who left INEC without a substantive chairman for nearly four months after the expiration of Professor Attahiru Jega’s tenure in 2015.
The appointment process for INEC leadership is guided by Section 153(1) and the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulate that the President nominates candidates subject to Senate confirmation and consultation with the National Council of State.
While some of Tinubu’s earlier appointments of National and Resident Electoral Commissioners have been criticised by SERAP and other groups for bypassing the Council of State consultation, insiders reveal that the President is determined to ensure transparency and restore public confidence in INEC.
Sources close to the Presidency said Tinubu is keen on avoiding the administrative vacuum and political controversies that trailed Buhari’s handling of the 2015 INEC transition. The President reportedly consulted widely, including seeking institutional guidance from APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, a former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner.
The report adds that Tinubu faced heavy lobbying from politicians pushing their preferred candidates, some allegedly motivated by personal or business interests tied to INEC contracts. Despite the pressure, the President was said to have maintained a calm and independent stance in making his choice.
Political observers note that Tinubu’s decision on the new INEC chairman could shape his legacy, much like Goodluck Jonathan, who is still celebrated globally for overseeing credible elections in 2015, and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who successfully transitioned Nigeria to democracy in 1999.
Meanwhile, sources disclosed that the registration of new political parties by INEC may have hastened Yakubu’s exit. Reports suggest one of the newly registered parties was linked to a prominent politician’s 2027 governorship ambition, prompting high-level complaints that allegedly led to Yakubu’s early handover.
If confirmed, Professor Amupitan’s appointment would mark a new chapter for Nigeria’s electoral commission and signal President Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring credibility and institutional stability in the nation’s democratic process.
