This is the biography of Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of Nigerian’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The electoral umpire has been under fire amid the commission’s decision to delist the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and asking the party’s leadership to return to status quo. The party has interpreted the decision of INEC and Joash Amupitan to be partisan, hence, the call for his resignation. To further compound his woes, a past tweet of the embattled INEC Chairman has surfaced, as he once wrote ‘Victory is sure’ under a popular APC chieftain’s post.
Joash Amupitan Background
Joash Amupitan was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Amupitan in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu, Kogi State on April 25, 1967.
Joash Amupitan Education
Joash Amupitan attended the Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin where he earned his national diploma (ND) certificate in 1984. Afterwards, he went on to the University of Jos to receive an LL.B. in law. In 1988, he received a call to the Nigerian Bar. Later, in 2007, he graduated from the University of Jos with an M.Sc. and a PhD in law.
Joash Amupitan Career and Work Experience
Joash Amupitan has been a man of academics all along. He started his career in the University of Jos in 1989 where he lectured law across several disciplines such as company law, law of evidence, corporate governance, and privatization law. At the same institution, he rose to prominence and served across several capacities which included Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008), and Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014). In 2014, Joash Amupitan became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Amupitan is still the Pro-Chancellor of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State. Apart from that, he also heads a couple of administrative positions which include Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom.
On the 9th of October 2025, ENigeria Newspaper reported that Amupitan was nominated for the position of the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). His nomination was confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on 16th October 2025, enabling him to succeed former INEC Chairman Yakubu Mahmud.
Age
Professor Joash Amupitan is currently aged 58 years.
Marriage
Joash Amupitan is married to Professor Racheal Yemisi Amupitan, who lectures at the University of Jos. Both of them have four children together.
Joash Amupitan Controversies
Joash Amupitan has been caught up in a couple of controversies recently, especially given his role as the INEC Chairman. the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for his resignation after the commission’s decision to delist and derecognize the party’s leadership, demanding that the party’s leadership revert to the status quo. The party believes that the INEC decision was partisan.
Also, Amupitan’s previous tweet, in which he stated “Victory is sure” beneath a well-known APC chieftain’s post, has surfaced, adding to his problems. He has, however, through the commission’s media and publicity team, denied the allegations. He labelled netizens who have dug of his old tweet as ‘digital imposters’, stressing that the X account does not belong to him.
