The Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has appointed Prof Joash Amupitan as the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), an appointment which has also been ratified by the National Council of States
Penpushing reports that the appointment of Amupitan was made known in a statement on Thursday by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, adding that the appointment was in compliance with the constitution.
The statement stated that the President will now send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening, adding that he will be inaugurated by the president if his nomination is confirmed by the upper legislative chamber.
Penpushing further reports that Amupitan was born25 April 1967, hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu local government area of Kogi State, and he is a law Professor at the University of Jos, Plateau State, as well as an alumnus of the university.
The statement added that the electoral commission boss specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law, who became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.
Penpushing also reports that he replaces Pro Mahmood Yakubu, who led the commission from 2015 until Tuesday, when he stepped down as his second tenure of five years drew to an end and handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, by appointment.
The newly appointed chairman if confirmed by the senate will be the 13th substantive chairman of the electoral commission since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, while the previous chairman includes Eyo Esua (1964–1966), Michael Ani (1976–1979), Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1980–1983), Eme Awa (1987–1989).
Penpushing reports that others are Humphrey Nwosu (1989–1993), Okon Uya (1993, June-November), and Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994–1998), Ephraim Akpata (1998–2000), Abel Guobadia (2000–2005), Maurice Iwu (2005–2010), Attahiru Jega (2010–2015), and Yakubu (2015-2025).
The commission has had two female acting chairmen Amina Zakari (June – November, 2015) and the current May Agbamuche-Mbu, who took over on Tuesday, while record showed that the commission was first headed by a British, Ronald Wraith, during the colonial era in 1958
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