The Senate is scheduled to screen Professor Joash Amupitan, President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for INEC Chairman, on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
The announcement was made in a circular released Wednesday by Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, the Senate’s Director of Information, confirming that the screening will take place in the Senate Chamber of the National Assembly Complex. Journalists and television stations have been requested to provide coverage of the exercise.
The screening follows Tinubu’s letter to the Senate seeking Amupitan’s confirmation, which was read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The nomination received endorsement from the National Council of State last week, marking a leadership transition for INEC after Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s decade-long tenure.
In his letter, Tinubu stated that the appointment was made under Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and urged lawmakers to give it “expeditious consideration,” describing Amupitan as a “Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”
Amupitan’s nomination has sparked discussions about INEC’s independence and credibility following the 2023 elections. While the presidency praised him as “an apolitical figure of impeccable integrity,” opposition parties and civil society groups are calling for a transparent and rigorous confirmation process.
The screening is expected to draw nationwide attention, potentially setting the tone for future electoral reforms and testing the administration’s commitment to credible polls ahead of the 2027 elections.
