By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
A coalition of over 1,000 lawyers has raised objections to President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Vanguard newspaper, the lawyers conveyed their position in a letter dated October 10, 2025, addressed to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Simon Lalong.
The letter was signed by the group’s secretary, Jesse Williams Amuga.
The lawyers argued that Professor Amupitan is unfit for the position, alleging that he previously served as legal counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 presidential election petition at the Supreme Court.
They contended that such political involvement disqualifies him from heading an institution expected to remain neutral and independent.
“The Senate must not confirm Professor Amupitan. Instead, it should inform the President that his nominee fails to meet the constitutional requirements for impartiality,” the letter stated.
Citing a precedent, the group reminded the Senate of its 2021 decision to reject the nomination of Lauretta Onochie for the same position due to her ties with the APC.
“The Amupitan case mirrors that of Onochie,” Amuga emphasized.
Amuga, who represents the Association of Legal Defenders for Rule and Accountability in Politics (ALDRAP), noted that Nigeria has over 200,000 lawyers—more than half of whom have no political affiliations—arguing that the President could have selected any of them to avoid controversy.
The group also warned that it would challenge the nomination in court if the Senate proceeds with confirmation.
“If the Senate confirms Professor Joash Amupitan, our organization will take legal action to enforce the constitutional principle of non-partisanship in the appointment of the INEC Chairman,” Amuga declared.
However, further findings have shown that Professor Amupitan is not affiliated with the APC and was not among the lawyers who represented President Tinubu in the 2023 election case.