Barring any last-minute changes, President Bola Tinubu is expected to present his preferred nominee for the position of Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the National Council of State today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The move comes ahead of the expiration of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure next month. Yakubu who has led the commission for ten years, formally handed over on Tuesday, October 7, to the most senior National Commissioner, Dame May Agbamuche-Mbu in an acting capacity.
According to sources within the presidency, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan who is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, is the leading candidate for the role and has already undergone full security clearance.
Born on April 25, 1967 in Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan is a Professor of Law, who is renowned for his expertise in Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law. He has spent decades teaching and contributing to academic research in the field.
Sources revealed that Amupitan “came highly recommended” and is likely to be announced as the nominee once the Council of State is formally briefed.
If confirmed, Tinubu’s prompt action will mark a departure from the approach of his predecessor, the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who allowed the commission to operate below its required quorum for nearly four months before completing appointments during his tenure.
The appointments to INEC are guided by Section 153(1) and the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which establish the commission’s composition and powers.
Under the law, the President nominates the Chairman, National Commissioners, and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), subject to Senate confirmation and consultation with the National Council of State.
However, some of President Tinubu’s recent INEC appointments have reportedly bypassed this consultation process. Several National Commissioners and RECs were nominated, confirmed, and sworn in without the Council’s formal input.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had earlier criticized the President over the alleged appointment of three known All Progressives Congress (APC) members into INEC leadership positions, urging compliance with constitutional provisions on neutrality and merit.
A source at Aso Rock told Vanguard that President Tinubu has taken a “personal and meticulous interest” in selecting a credible successor to Yakubu.
As of press time, there were, however, indications that the President might delay the formal presentation of his nominee to the Council, pending final consultations.
Advertisement
