Plots by former Kogi Senator to stop Kinsman from becoming INEC Chairman Raises Dust.
…. As Former Senator Under pressure to refund N7billion.
The dust and plots by a former Kogi West Senator to scuttle the the nomination of Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, from becoming INEC Chairman is still a subject of contention.
The matter is becoming one according to insider sources amongst the Okun people who deliberated on the allegation why the former Senator would allow himself to be tool in the hands of some powerful persons from the State to deny their son the appointment.
While the former Senator is receiving serious bashing from Traditional rulers and his kinsman from his extraction, it is more trouble for the former Senator as he has been asked to refund and account the N7billion he was allegedly given.
According to information, the Senator had promised to use his network, reach out and settle some person in the Villa as well as the first Lady’s office, to ensure that the nomination of Prof. Amupitan does not see the light of the day.
The Senator, working with very powerful people from the State, had tried to push for another nomination but the move failed, as President, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, was always ahead of them, even after they have tried to secure that their nomination gets security clearance.
Aside the Hilux vehicle and one expensive Porsche car, the former Senator bought for himself and his son from the proceed, those who gave him the money are asking for explanation and possible refund, thus getting the Senator now to have sleepless nights.
The former Senator’s kinsmen arising from a meeting at Kabba, Tuesday, said after investigation, the former Senator who was also alledged to have misinformed the media about the qualification of Prof. Amupitan may be sanctioned and declared a persona nongrata.
Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), is for the first time from North-Central Nigeria, Kogi State in particular to have been nominated and to serve as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.
Upon hearing of the news that Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State, a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau, was going to be appointed, some persons from Kogi State and working with some powerful persons in the country started the effort to Stop his appointment.
Soon as news filtered out that Prof. Amupitan was being penciled as INEC Chairman, sources alleged that some powerful persons from Kogi, were said to have reportedly pushed hard for a another person to be appointed as INEC Chairman.
But following mounting skepticism within the Presidency, the candidacy of those from Kogi, was quietly dropped.
It was alleged that monies running into N7billion was handed over to the former Senator, who boosted he has the ears of several personalities on the corridors of power he will settle to stop the nomination.
Unfortunately, the former Senator is now in the bad books of his sponsors as he is said to have failed in the project, not with the stupendous amount of money he collected which he is asked to return.
It will be recalled that President Tinubu while presenting the new INEC Chairman, told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.
Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.
Amupitan, SAN, is currently the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, University of Jos.
He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law.
He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.
Amupitan was born on April 25, 1967.
After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987.
He was called to the bar in 1988.
He earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.
Currently, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
