Debate Over Nepotism Resurfaces As Tinubu Appoints Prof. Joash Amupitan As INEC Chairman

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), further deepening his practice of favouritism and nepotism. Amupitan’s appointment follows the retirement of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served for 10 years, from 2015 to October 2025.

Tinubu presented 58-year-old Amupitan, a Professor of Law from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, to the National Council of State during its meeting at the State House on Thursday. He described the nominee as “apolitical” and “a man of integrity.”

In line with constitutional provisions, the President is expected to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation.

However, while the Council’s approval was unanimous, the appointment has reignited a national debate over ethnic bias and political favouritism in Tinubu’s regime.

Since assuming office in May 2023, Tinubu has concentrated power and key appointments within his Yoruba ethnic circle and among loyalists from the South-West. Critics argue that this pattern threatens Nigeria’s fragile unity and deepens public mistrust in national institutions.

Many citizens have pointed to a growing list of strategic positions held by individuals from Tinubu’s region, including the Chief of Army Staff, Inspector-General of Police, Customs Comptroller-General, Immigration Comptroller-General, EFCC Chairman, Central Bank Governor, and the Finance Minister, as evidence of what they describe as “institutionalised nepotism.”

Analysts warn that installing another ally in a sensitive post like INEC risks further eroding confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system, especially as the country approaches a crucial election cycle.

I think genuinely, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be truly independent, as the name suggests, then its chairman should not be appointed by the president and then subjected to Senate confirmation. We have seen that the president … will normally appoint a person who is loyal to him,” Constitutional lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN) said. “You cannot expect the appointee of the President not to favour him in an election. It will almost be an aberration and impossibility,” he added.

Befor now, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urged Tinubu to “disclose details of the selection and appointment process for the successor to Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will end in November 2025.”

SERAP stressed that a transparent and accountable selection process of the INEC chairman would serve legitimate public interests. Still, citizens were not involved in the selection process of Amupitan, as Tinubu and the Council of State simply presented their preferred candidate.

Meanwhile, supporters of the administration argue that Amupitan’s credentials and clean record make him a qualified candidate for the role, especially since he is not from the South West region like the President. However, this argument does not hold any ground because the Tinubu regime is being political about the appointment, as Amupitan is from the President’s Yoruba ethnic group.

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Kangmwa Gofwen

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