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Claim: X user asserts that the new INEC chairperson nominee was once the president’s lawyer.
Verdict: False! There is no credible evidence that Amupitan has legally represented the President in a formal capacity. Available records indicate that he has acted as legal counsel for other individuals, not the President.
Full Text
Mahmood Yakubu, who headed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a decade, resigned on Oct. 7, 2025. Following his resignation, the president nominated Joash Amupitan as the new chairperson for the commission.
This new development led X user The Papi (@TheTawah_) to claim that the new INEC nominee was once the president’s lawyer.
“Wait, the new INEC chairman was Tinubu’s lawyer? Lmao,” he wrote.
Different pages, like Nairaland and Facebook, also noted that Amupitan is a member of Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ‘s legal team.
Since we saw it on Oct. 10, 2025, the viral post has garnered 201,200 views, 4,200 likes, 1,200 reposts and quotes, 174 comments, and 102 bookmarks.
Given Nigeria’s sensitivity to electoral credibility and political neutrality issues, DUBAWA decided to conduct a verification.
Verification
DUBAWA searched for keywords to find reports from credible media organisations that could support the claim, but we found nothing. However, Sahara Reporters reports that he was legal counsel for Senator Dino Melaye, a political ally of Tinubu.
Reports from Daily Trust on Tinubu’s legal representation, particularly during the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, revealed that Amupitan’s name was not among the 12 names listed as lawyers who represented Tinubu or the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The documented legal team included Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Ahmad Usman El-Marzuq (SAN), etc, but not Amupitan. This dismisses Nairland’s claim that he was a member of Bola Tinubu’s legal team in the 2023 presidential election petition.
Another report by Channels Television also lists the names of the 12 Senior Advocates who defended Tinubu. We did not find Amupitan’s name on this list.
No credible newspaper or media outlet has ever reported that Amupitan represented Tinubu in any legal matter.
The post and similar claims provided no supporting evidence, such as court case numbers, legal documents, or dated references.
Conclusion
No credible record or report links Joash Amupitan to President Tinubu as his lawyer. Therefore, the claim is false.
