Senate Begins Screening of INEC Chairman-Designate Joash Amupitan

The Senate on Thursday commenced the screening of Professor Joash Amupitan, the newly nominated Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his arrival at the National Assembly complex earlier in the day.

Amupitan, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, was accompanied by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, and other dignitaries.

He was ushered into the Senate chamber around 12:50 p.m. by Senator Abubakar Lado, the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), where he exchanged greetings with lawmakers before the session began.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family members, and guests before declaring the screening open at 12:55 p.m. He outlined the procedures for evaluating the nominee’s qualifications and plans for the electoral body.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier sent a letter to the Senate nominating Amupitan to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who recently resigned as INEC chairman. The letter was read by Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary.

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

His nomination has stirred mixed reactions from civil society groups and political observers, some of whom are calling for deeper reforms to strengthen INEC’s independence and transparency.

During the screening, senators are expected to question Amupitan on his plans to ensure credible elections, improve institutional efficiency, and expand the use of technology in the voting process.

If confirmed, Amupitan will oversee the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and lead preparations for the 2027 general elections.