The Senate has begun the screening and confirmation process for the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan.
Amupitan arrived at the National Assembly complex on Thursday, where he exchanged greetings with senators and other top officials before the exercise began. He was accompanied by Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, along with several dignitaries.
At about 12:50 p.m., the INEC chair nominee was escorted into the Senate chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, welcomed Amupitan, his family, and his supporters to the Red Chamber.
The screening session commenced shortly after 12:55 p.m., following Akpabio’s opening remarks, which outlined the procedures the lawmakers would follow in evaluating the nominee’s qualifications.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier nominated Amupitan, a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, to take over from Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who recently stepped down from the position. The President’s nomination letter was read on the Senate floor during plenary on Tuesday.
According to Okay News, Amupitan, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, is known for his expertise in constitutional and international law.
His nomination has, however, attracted mixed reactions from civil society organizations and political stakeholders. While some have praised his professional record, others have called for greater transparency and stronger independence for the electoral body under his leadership.
The Senate screening is expected to center on Amupitan’s plans for credible elections, institutional reforms within INEC, and strategies to enhance the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.
If confirmed, Professor Amupitan will lead preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and set the foundation for the 2027 general elections.
