By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Amupitan, a seasoned professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was confirmed after an exhaustive screening session during which he fielded questions from lawmakers on electoral reforms, policy implementation, and the future of credible elections in Nigeria.
During the session, senators probed the nominee’s views on electoral integrity, logistics, voter confidence, and the implementation of the Electoral Act, to which he provided detailed responses outlining his vision for strengthening the commission’s independence and transparency.
President Tinubu had earlier, on Tuesday, written to the Senate seeking Amupitan’s confirmation in line with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), following the expiration of the tenure of former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. The letter, read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urged the upper chamber to give the request its “usual expeditious consideration.”
With the Senate’s confirmation, Professor Amupitan is expected to be sworn in by President Tinubu in the coming days, officially assuming leadership of Nigeria’s electoral body ahead of upcoming Anambra election and general elections.
