Senate confirms Prof. Joash Amupitan as INEC chairman after three-hour grilling

The Senate on Thursday confirmed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following an exhaustive three-hour screening session at the National Assembly.

Amupitan, nominated by President Bola Tinubu, faced tough questions from senators on his integrity, political neutrality, and plans for electoral reform before receiving unanimous approval without a dissenting voice.

Presiding over the confirmation, Senate President Godswill Akpabio declared the nominee approved after a voice vote and charged him to “carry on with the job where votes will count.”

During the session, Amupitan firmly denied ever serving as legal counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 presidential election petitions, stating that all official court records are publicly available to verify his claim.

He assured the Senate that under his leadership, INEC would deliver elections where “losers will congratulate winners,” pledging to restore public confidence through transparency, logistics reform, and aggressive voter education.

Amupitan also revealed plans to introduce innovative security measures, including the use of cloned materials, to safeguard election resources and prevent tampering.

Before entering the chamber at 12:50 p.m., the Senate suspended its standing orders to admit him, following a motion by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).

Senate President Akpabio informed lawmakers that Amupitan had been thoroughly vetted and cleared by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force, which confirmed he had no criminal record.

President Tinubu had earlier written to the Senate requesting Amupitan’s prompt screening and confirmation, citing Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution. The President described him as a competent legal scholar capable of strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system.

Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and professor of law, was subsequently confirmed in what observers described as one of the smoothest but most rigorous screening sessions for an INEC chair in recent years.