Senate Begins Screening of INEC Chairman-Designate, Joash Amupitan

The Senate has commenced the screening of Professor Joash Amupitan, the newly nominated Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his arrival at the National Assembly complex on Wednesday.

Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Professor of Law from the University of Jos, was escorted to the Senate chamber by Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo, alongside several dignitaries.

At about 12:50 p.m., he was ushered into the chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado, and seated ahead of the session’s commencement.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed the nominee, his family, and supporters to the Red Chamber before outlining the procedure for the screening exercise, which began shortly after 12:55 p.m.

Earlier in the week, President Bola Tinubu had forwarded Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation as successor to Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who recently resigned as INEC Chairman.

A respected legal scholar and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan is known for his expertise in constitutional and international law.

His nomination has, however, stirred mixed reactions among civil society groups and political observers, with renewed calls for deeper reforms to guarantee INEC’s transparency and independence.

During the screening, senators are expected to question Amupitan on his vision for credible elections, strategies for institutional reform, and plans to enhance the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.

If confirmed, Amupitan will be responsible for steering preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and laying the groundwork for the 2027 general elections.