💥Was INEC Chair Nominee Joash Amupitan Part of Tinubu’s Legal Team?

When President Tinubu nominated Professor Joash Amupitan as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, social media erupted. “He was Tinubu’s lawyer during the 2023 election case!” users claimed, warning that democracy was in danger. But is the outrage based on fact?

Verification:
WABMA reviewed the Certified True Copies of both the Presidential Election Tribunal and Supreme Court judgments from the 2023 election petitions.

Amupitan’s name does not appear among the lawyers listed for Tinubu, Shettima, or the APC. Instead, the records show Professor Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) — a University of Lagos law professor — as one of the legal counsels.

The similarity between the surnames Osipitan and Amupitan seems to have caused the mix-up. No court record, statement, or credible media report links Amupitan to Tinubu’s legal team.