President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking the screening and confirmation of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The request, read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary, followed the endorsement of Amupitan’s nomination by the Council of State last week. The President said the appointment was made in line with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and urged lawmakers to give it “expeditious consideration.”
Tinubu described Amupitan as “an apolitical figure of impeccable integrity,” saying the nomination was based on record and character. The Senate President has referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.
In a separate letter, Tinubu also sought Senate confirmation for Mrs. Ayo Omidiran as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, alongside 28 other nominees for Federal Commissioner roles, including Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi from Kwara State.
Amupitan’s nomination comes amid growing debates over INEC’s independence and credibility following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu after a decade at the helm. The confirmation hearing is expected to shape the trajectory of Nigeria’s electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
