How Intrigues, Kogi Politics Played Out To Stop Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) As INEC Chairman

The screening of Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), for the first time from North-Central Nigeria, to serve as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), may have come and gone, but the intrigues and politics that followed his nomination and screening, lives so much to be discussed.

Recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.

Upon hearing of the news that Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State, a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau, was going to be appointed, some persons from Kogi State and working with some powerful persons in the country started the effort to Stop his appointment.

As soon as news filtered out that Prof. Amupitan was being penciled as INEC Chairman, sources alleged that some powerful persons from Kogi, working through Chief Nysom Wike, the FCT Minister were said to have reportedly pushed hard for Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, a justice of the Court of Appeal, to be appointed as INEC Chairman.

Though the FCT Minister had refuted the allegation of pushing for a preferred candidate, he was said to have secured clearances for the retired Justice through several security agencies, confident that Tinubu would approve.

But following mounting skepticism within the Presidency, Liman’s candidacy, an indigene of Nasarawa State was quietly dropped. according to SaharaReporters, who learnt that Liman and Wike are so close that he once blocked security agencies from searching his house in 2016.

Unconfirmed report also disclosed that some powerful forces from the home State and Senatorial District of Prof. Amupitan made all efforts to stop his nomination using there deep pockets.

Joined in the plot to stop the nomination of Prof. Amupitan was a former Senator from Kogi West, who not only assured his sponsors that he has all it takes to stop the nomination.

It was alleged that monies running into N7billion was handed over to the former Senator, who boosted he has the ears of several personalities on the corridors of power he will settle to stop the nomination.

Unfortunately, the former Senator is now in the bad books of his sponsors as he is said to have failed in the project, not with the stupendous amount of money he collected which he is asked to return.

The former Senator was equally alleged to have been the one who gave out the wrong informations about Prof. Amupitan educational background and that he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, to a section of the media, all with the intent to discredit his appointment.

It will be recalled that President Tinubu while presenting the new INEC Chairman, told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.

Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.

Amupitan, SAN, is currently the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, University of Jos.

He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law.

He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.

Amupitan was born on April 25, 1967.

After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987.

He was called to the bar in 1988.

He earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.

Currently, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).

Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles.

He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja(1996-2004).

Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013) and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

He is married and has four children.