The Faculty of Law at the University of Jos has dismissed allegations that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, manipulated student results during his tenure as Dean.
The clarification follows claims by former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, who alleged that Amupitan “traded off” results of 16 students in the 2009/2010 academic session in favour of “special students.”
In a statement issued by the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Francis M. Kwede, the university firmly denied the allegations, stating that no such incident occurred in the referenced class or at any other time.
According to the faculty, there is no record of result manipulation or favouritism, stressing that all claims suggesting otherwise are “false, baseless, and without merit.”
The statement noted that during Amupitan’s tenure as Dean between 2008 and 2014, significant reforms were introduced, including the adoption of Excel-based result processing, which improved accuracy and reduced delays in compiling students’ grades.
It added that the innovation was widely commended within the university and helped ensure that graduating students met their Nigerian Law School schedules without disruption.
The faculty also rejected claims of victimisation of any student, including Dalung, stating that records show he successfully completed his postgraduate studies and obtained his LL.M in 2010.
It further argued that the allegations were made in a politically charged context and should be viewed as partisan rhetoric rather than factual claims.
“The Faculty knows Prof. Amupitan to have conducted himself with the highest honour, candour, and integrity,” the statement said, adding that his tenure saw notable academic and infrastructural improvements.
The university urged the public to disregard the allegations, insisting there is no evidence to support claims of result trading or integrity breaches.
By Friday Olokor
