JUST IN: Tinubu swears in Amupitan as INEC chairman

President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The swearing-in ceremony took place on Thursday inside the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), took the oath of office at exactly 1:50 p.m.

Dressed in an elegant white agbada paired with a gold cap, Amupitan arrived at the State House earlier in the day, where he exchanged pleasantries with dignitaries and guests before the ceremony commenced.

While addressing the new INEC boss, Tinubu urged him to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system and enhance the institutional capacity of the commission.

The president said Amupitan must ensure the credibility of future polls by upholding fairness, professionalism and transparency.

Amupitan’s swearing-in came a week after the senate confirmed his appointment following a screening exercise on October 16.

During his appearance before lawmakers, the 58-year-old law professor outlined plans to reform Nigeria’s electoral process, strengthen institutional independence and rebuild public confidence in INEC.

“We must conduct elections where even the loser will congratulate the winner and say, ‘You won fairly and well’. When that happens, voters’ confidence will naturally be restored,” Amupitan told senators during his confirmation hearing.

He also pledged to prioritise amendments to the Electoral Act, eliminate grey areas in election timelines and improve transparency in the conduct of polls.

Amupitan also refuted claims of his alleged involvement in Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 presidential election petition.

“I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any of the parties,” he said, stressing his neutrality and independence.

Following his swearing-in, the new INEC chairman is expected to assume office immediately and begin the transition process at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He succeeds Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as INEC chairman ended on October 7, 2025.

His appointment makes him the sixth substantive head of the commission since its establishment.