All eyes on senate as Amupitan faces INEC confirmation test

By Paul Dada

The Senate is set to screen Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan on Thursday(today) for the position of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This was made known in  in a circular issued on Wednesday by the Senate’s Director of Information, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, and made available to journalists in Abuja.

The development is coming after a formal request from President Bola Tinubu, whose letter urging the Senate to expedite Amupitan’s confirmation was read on the Senate floor on Wednesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The circular said,  “The Office of the Secretary, Research and Information wishes to notify members of the press and the general public that the Senate will on Thursday, 16th October, 2025, conduct the screening of the nominee of President Bola Tinubu, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, as INEC Chairman.

“The exercise is scheduled to hold at the Senate Chamber, National Assembly Complex. Members of the Senate Press Corps are kindly requested to provide their usual media coverage and support to ensure adequate dissemination of information to the public. Similarly, television stations are expected to provide live coverage of the event.”

Amupitan will replace Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC chairman  for two terms of ten years. This follows Amupitan’s endorsement by the National Council of State last week.

In his letter tasking for  the Senate confirmation of Amupitan,  Tinubu  had written: “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,” while citing Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).