By Peter Omopo
The Senate will today (Thursday) commence the screening of Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following President Bola Tinubu’s nomination.
The screening was officially announced in a circular released on Wednesday by the Senate’s Director of Information, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, and distributed to journalists in Abuja.
According to the circular, the exercise is scheduled to take place at the Senate Chamber of the National Assembly Complex, with full media and television coverage expected.
“The Senate will on Thursday, 16th October 2025, conduct the screening of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, the nominee of President Bola Tinubu, as INEC Chairman. Members of the Senate Press Corps are kindly requested to provide their usual media coverage and support,” the circular stated.
Tinubu Urges Speedy Confirmation
President Tinubu, in a letter read on the Senate floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urged lawmakers to grant speedy consideration to the nominee, noting that the appointment was made in line with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“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 wrote.
The nomination follows the recent endorsement of Amupitan by the National Council of State and the exit of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who served two terms as INEC Chairman.
Amupitan, a constitutional law expert and former Dean of Law at the University of Jos, is expected to bring fresh perspectives to Nigeria’s electoral management amid ongoing calls for reforms and improved credibility.
Public Reactions and Calls for Transparency
While the Presidency has described Amupitan as “an apolitical figure of impeccable integrity,” several civil society groups and opposition figures have called on the Senate to ensure a transparent and rigorous confirmation process, especially ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The screening comes at a politically sensitive time, with renewed debates over INEC’s independence following the contentious aftermath of the 2023 polls.
Northern Minorities Defend Amupitan’s Nomination
Meanwhile, the Northern Nigeria Minorities Group (NNMG) has cautioned against what it termed attempts to “ethnicise” Amupitan’s appointment.
In a statement issued in Kaduna and signed by the group’s convener, Chief Jacob Edi, the NNMG condemned social media criticisms questioning the President’s decision, describing them as “divisive and retrogressive.”
“We view with consternation the ongoing attempts by certain individuals and interest groups to ethnicise the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as INEC Chairman. For the avoidance of doubt, Professor Amupitan is an Okun man from Kogi State, one of the minority ethnic nationalities in Northern Nigeria,” Edi said.
Edi emphasised that Amupitan’s appointment marks the first time in 65 years that a person from a northern minority group would head the electoral commission.
“In all these decades, no northern minority has questioned appointments made from other parts of the North. The attempt to portray this nomination as ethnic bias is false and dangerous,” he added.
‘Competence, Not Ethnicity, Should Guide Appointments’
The NNMG called on Nigerians to celebrate the appointment as a symbol of inclusivity and national unity, stressing that leadership selection should be based on competence, capacity, and integrity rather than ethnic considerations.
“Nigeria must move beyond ethnic arithmetic. The appointment of Professor Amupitan should be seen as a bold step toward fairness, equity, and meritocracy,” the statement read.
The group further commended President Tinubu for recognising northern minorities in recent federal appointments, saying it reflected a deliberate effort to give all regions a sense of belonging.
Edi concluded by urging Nigerians to rally behind the new INEC nominee, warning that “divisive narratives are the real threat to Nigeria’s democracy.”
“Let competence and fairness, not ethnicity, define our national discourse. The success of Nigeria’s democracy depends on it,” he said.
The outcome of today’s Senate screening is expected to draw nationwide attention, as it could shape the future of electoral reforms and public confidence in INEC ahead of the next election cycle.
