The Senate will on Thursday commence the screening of Professor Joash Amupitan, President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for the position of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The screening, which is expected to take place at the Senate chamber, follows the transmission of Amupitan’s name to the National Assembly by President Tinubu last week for confirmation.
Amupitan, a professor of law and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, was nominated to replace Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who stepped aside earlier this month after completing his tenure.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio had earlier directed the Committee on INEC to ensure a thorough review of Amupitan’s qualifications and readiness to oversee Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lawmakers are expected to quiz the nominee on his vision for electoral reforms, technology deployment, and strategies to enhance public confidence in the commission’s operations.
If confirmed, Professor Amupitan will become the fifth substantive Chairman of INEC since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.