The Senate will on Thursday, October 16, 2025, screen Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, the nominee of President Bola Tinubu for the position of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
This was disclosed in a circular issued on Wednesday by the Director of Information at the National Assembly, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, and made available to journalists in Abuja.
According to the statement, the screening exercise will hold at the Senate Chamber, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
“The Office of the Secretary, Research and Information wishes to notify members of the press and the general public that the Senate will on Thursday, 16th October, 2025, conduct the screening of the nominee of President Bola Tinubu, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, as INEC Chairman,” the circular stated.
It further directed media organizations to ensure full coverage of the event. “Members of the Senate Press Corps are kindly requested to provide their usual media coverage and support to ensure adequate dissemination of information to the public.
Similarly, television stations are expected to extend the usual courtesies of providing live coverage of the event,” the notice added.
Amupitan’s nomination, which was endorsed last week by the National Council of State, follows the exit of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman for 10 years.
In a letter addressed to the Senate and read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu described Amupitan as a person of “impeccable integrity and professionalism,” urging lawmakers to consider his nomination without delay.
“I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” the President wrote.
The nomination has generated public discourse, with civil society organizations and opposition parties calling for a transparent and rigorous screening process to safeguard INEC’s independence and credibility.
A political analyst, Dr. Emmanuel Ojo, described the confirmation hearing as “a crucial test of the administration’s commitment to electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.”
He added, “How the Senate handles this screening will send a strong message about the government’s sincerity on strengthening democratic institutions.”
