Senate Commences Screening of Professor Joash Amupitan as New INEC Chairman

The Nigerian Senate will today, Thursday, October 16, 2025, begin the screening of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan for confirmation as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Director of Information at the National Assembly, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, who disclosed that the screening would take place at the Senate Chamber of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

This follows a formal request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu urging lawmakers to consider Amupitan’s appointment without delay. The President’s letter, read on the floor of the Senate by its President, Godswill Akpabio, stated that the nomination was made in accordance with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

President Tinubu described Professor Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and respected legal scholar from Kogi State, as a man of integrity and competence capable of steering Nigeria’s electoral system toward credibility and reform. His appointment was also recently endorsed by the National Council of State.

Amupitan’s nomination comes at a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, as the country continues to evaluate the performance of its electoral body ahead of the 2027 general elections. Political analysts have noted that today’s screening will be closely followed nationwide, given the public debate surrounding INEC’s independence and transparency.

Meanwhile, the Northern Nigeria Minorities Group (NNMG) has cautioned against ethnic sentiments trailing the appointment, describing such reactions as divisive and unhelpful to national unity.

In a statement signed by its Convener, Chief Jacob Edi, and issued in Kaduna on Tuesday, the group condemned what it called “attempts to politicise and ethnicise” the choice of Amupitan, who hails from the Okun ethnic group in Kogi State.

According to Edi, Amupitan’s emergence represents a historic shift, being the first person from a northern minority group to be appointed to lead the electoral commission since its establishment in 1959.

He added that the criticism of the appointment reflects long-standing prejudice against minority groups in the region, insisting that competence, not ethnicity, should define national appointments.

Edi further stated, “It is disappointing to see people question a nomination based on ethnicity rather than merit. Professor Amupitan’s credentials speak for themselves. This appointment is a recognition of inclusivity and fairness.”

The group commended President Tinubu for promoting balance and diversity in recent appointments, urging Nigerians to support the incoming INEC boss as he prepares to take on the crucial task of strengthening the nation’s democratic institutions.

Edi concluded, “Those who continue to divide the country along ethnic lines are the real obstacles to progress. Nigeria must now prioritise competence, equity and national interest above sectional loyalties.”