The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, is expected to officially assume office next week, ahead of the November 8 Anambra State governorship election.
Multiple INEC officials confirmed to the news men that Amupitan will formally take charge of the commission after his swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu. The ceremony, which traditionally takes place before a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, is expected to hold next week.
A senior INEC official involved in the transition process said, “Prof. Amupitan will assume office on the day he is sworn in by the President. The tradition is that he gets sworn in before an FEC meeting, and he would be escorted by INEC National Commissioners to resume office immediately.”
Another INEC Director noted that while the exact date for the inauguration has not been announced, the swearing-in is imminent. “He will assume his position after his inauguration,” the official added.
Sources within the commission also confirmed that preparations are underway for Amupitan’s arrival. “Some of his personal staff have been showing up at the commission, expecting that he will be sworn in during the FEC meeting,” an insider said.
When contacted, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, stated, “We are expecting him, but there is no information on when he will officially assume office.”
Amupitan, a 58-year-old Professor of Law at the University of Jos and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was confirmed by the Senate last Thursday after a voice vote led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. His confirmation followed a rigorous screening session during which he addressed several questions from lawmakers.
President Tinubu had earlier nominated the legal scholar, noted for his expertise in constitutional and international law, to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure recently ended.
In the interim, National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu has been serving as Acting INEC Chairman and has presided over several stakeholder meetings at the commission’s headquarters.
Meanwhile, INEC has reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, and credible governorship election in Anambra State on November 8, 2025.
