The Nigerian Senate will today (Thursday) begin the screening of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan for his appointment as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The announcement was made in a circular released on Wednesday by the Director of Information at the Senate, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, and distributed to journalists in Abuja.
The circular stated that the screening will take place on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the Senate Chamber of the National Assembly Complex. Members of the Senate Press Corps were encouraged to provide media coverage, while television stations were requested to offer live broadcast of the session.
Okay News reports that this screening comes just a day after President Bola Tinubu’s letter requesting the quick confirmation of Amupitan was read on the Senate floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Amupitan’s nomination, which received approval from the National Council of State last week, represents a major transition for INEC after the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who led the commission for ten years.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu said the nomination was made “in line with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)” and urged lawmakers to consider it without delay.
“I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Tinubu stated.
The nomination arrives at a crucial political period when questions about INEC’s independence and credibility are being raised following post-election assessments.
While the Presidency has described Amupitan as “an apolitical figure of impeccable integrity,” several opposition parties and civil society organizations have asked the Senate to ensure that the confirmation process remains open and transparent.
Observers believe that today’s screening will be followed closely across the country as it is expected to set the tone for future electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Northern Nigeria Minorities Group (NNMG) has warned against efforts by individuals or organizations attempting to link Amupitan’s appointment to ethnic politics.
In a statement released on Tuesday in Kaduna, the group’s Convener, Chief Jacob Edi, criticized what he called “divisive statements and social media attacks” questioning the President’s choice of the Kogi-born scholar.
Edi explained that Professor Amupitan, an indigene of the Okun ethnic group in Kogi State, belongs to one of the minority nationalities in Northern Nigeria and that his appointment should be viewed as a positive step, not a political issue.
“We view with concern the ongoing attempts by some individuals and groups to ethnicise the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as INEC Chairman,” Edi said.
“For clarity, Professor Amupitan is an Okun man from Kogi State, one of the minority groups in Northern Nigeria. There are 19 states in the North, each unique and diverse, none superior to another by tribe, language, or faith.”
He also noted that this marks the first time in 65 years—since the creation of a statutory electoral commission in 1959—that a member of a northern minority has been appointed to lead the nation’s electoral body.
According to Edi, some groups have tried to portray the President’s action as ethnic favoritism, a claim he described as false and harmful to national unity.
He added that no northern minority group had ever questioned appointments made by previous presidents, even when individuals from the North-West and North-East held the position for over 15 years.
The NNMG urged Nigerians to recognize that northern minorities are full participants in the national project and should not be sidelined when it comes to public service.
Edi lamented that the practice of dismissing appointments of northern minorities as “not northern enough” dates back to the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and said such divisive thinking must end.
“The current ethnicisation of Professor Amupitan’s appointment is a direct continuation of that old and negative trend, and it must stop,” he stated.
He emphasized that the North should be known for inclusion and unity, not division, adding that those spreading false narratives were working against national progress.
The group also stated that competence and integrity, not ethnicity, should guide national appointments, stressing that Amupitan’s nomination is “a bold step toward inclusivity, equity, and meritocracy.”
While commending President Tinubu for recognizing the North’s diversity through his appointments, Edi cautioned against any actions that could deepen ethnic divisions in the country.
“We urge political actors and citizens to rise above identity politics and focus on building strong institutions that serve all Nigerians. The time for ethnic calculations is over. We must now embrace fairness, capacity, and national responsibility,” he said.
Edi further argued that northern minorities play a stabilizing role in Nigeria’s unity and should be appreciated as key contributors to the country’s growth.
“We must restate clearly that northern minorities remain the true stabilizing force of this federation. Together, we are not just minorities but the real majority that believes in the unity and progress of Nigeria,” he said.
He concluded by calling on Nigerians to support Professor Amupitan as he prepares to assume leadership at INEC.
“Let competence and fairness, not ethnicity, guide our national discussions. The success of Nigeria’s democracy depends on it,” Edi added.
