Senate screens INEC chair nominee, Prof. Amupitan
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Senate has begun screening the nominated Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan.
Amupitan, who arrived at the National Assembly complex earlier in the day, exchanged pleasantries with lawmakers before being ushered into the chamber. He was accompanied by Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, alongside other dignitaries.
At exactly 12:50 p.m Thursday, the nominee was led into the Red Chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado. He took his seat ahead of the commencement of the proceedings.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family, and supporters to the plenary session, commending their presence and decorum.
The exercise officially began at about 12:55 p.m., following Akpabio’s introductory remarks, in which he briefed lawmakers on the procedures for assessing the nominee’s qualifications and background.
President Bola Tinubu had forwarded Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation as successor to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who recently stepped down.
Tinubu’s letter conveying the nomination was read by Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.
Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Jos, is renowned for his scholarship in constitutional and international law.
His nomination has drawn a mix of commendations and criticism from civil society groups and political commentators, with some urging the new leadership to push for deeper electoral reforms to enhance INEC’s independence and transparency.
If confirmed, the legal scholar will immediately take charge of INEC’s preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and begin laying the foundation for the 2027 general polls.
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