President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan as the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Amupitan, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), arrived at the Presidential Villa on Thursday morning dressed in a white agbada and gold cap. The swearing-in took place at 1:50 pm inside the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.
In his remarks, Tinubu charged the new INEC boss to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system and strengthen the commission’s institutional capacity. He urged Amupitan to prioritise transparency, fairness and professionalism in future elections.
Amupitan’s appointment was confirmed by the Senate on October 16, following a screening where the 58-year-old law professor promised to reform the electoral process and rebuild public trust in INEC.
“We must conduct elections where even the loser will congratulate the winner and say, ‘You won fairly and well’,” Amupitan told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing.
He also pledged to push for amendments to the Electoral Act, streamline election timelines and eliminate legal ambiguities affecting the credibility of polls.
Addressing allegations of bias, Amupitan denied ever serving on Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 presidential election petition, describing himself as neutral and independent.
With his swearing-in complete, Amupitan is expected to assume office immediately, succeeding Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended on 7 October 2025. He becomes the sixth substantive head of INEC since its creation.
