Nigerian senators during plenary as debate on the Electoral Act Bill is deferred.
The Nigerian Senate will on Thursday, October 16, 2025, screen Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for the position of Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The announcement was contained in a circular issued on Wednesday by the Director of Information of the Senate, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, and made available to journalists in Abuja.
The development follows less than 24 hours after President Tinubu’s letter requesting Amupitan’s confirmation was read on the Senate floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
According to the statement, the screening will take place in the Senate Chamber of the National Assembly Complex, with full media and live television coverage expected.
“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.
“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.”
Amupitan’s nomination, endorsed last week by the National Council of State, marks the beginning of a new era for INEC following the exit of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who served as chairman for a decade.
In his nomination letter, President Tinubu said the appointment complied with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), urging senators to expedite the confirmation process.
“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,” Tinubu wrote.
Amupitan, a respected legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is stepping into the role at a crucial time for Nigeria’s democracy. His nomination comes amid renewed public debate over INEC’s independence, transparency, and credibility, following the controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections.
While the presidency has described Amupitan as “an apolitical figure of impeccable integrity,” several civil society organizations and opposition parties have called for a transparent, merit-based confirmation process.
Political analysts note that Thursday’s screening will be a key moment for both the Senate and the Tinubu administration, as it could shape the tone of electoral reforms and test the government’s commitment to credible elections ahead of 2027.
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