INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu and President Bola Tinubu
•Ex-INEC chair proceeds on terminal leave
President Bola Tinubu has officially accepted the departure of Mahmood Yakubu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the conclusion of his second term.
Yakubu, who first assumed the role in November 2015 and had his tenure renewed in 2020, stepped down as his appointment expired. Under his leadership, the electoral body introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC result viewing (iReV) portal, among others to enhance transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
To honour his service, President Tinubu conferred on Yakubu the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), recognising his dedication and integrity.
The President expressed gratitude to Yakubu for his significant contributions to Nigeria’s democratic process, stewardship in conducting free and fair elections over the past decade.
“Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s committed service has strengthened our electoral system and deepened the roots of democracy in Nigeria.
For this, the nation owes him a debt of gratitude.”
President Tinubu also instructed Yakubu to hand over the commission’s leadership to the senior national commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will oversee its affairs until a new chairman is appointed.
In his farewell letter dated October 3, Professor Yakubu reflected on his tenure, stating, “I am deeply humbled to have served my country and grateful to President Tinubu for entrusting me with this crucial responsibility.”
He handed over to Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, as the acting Chairman, pending the appointment of a new chairman for the commission.
Announcing his exit during the ongoing meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, where he signed his exit note, Yakubu thanked the country for the privilege given to him to serve and solicited for support for Agbamuche-Mbu until the appointment of a substantive chairman.
The handover was witnessed by INEC national commissioners, directors, and senior staff, marking the beginning of a new administrative phase for Nigeria’s election management body.
In his brief remarks, Yakubu thanked members of the commission for their cooperation during his tenure and urged them to extend the same level of support and professionalism to his successor.
Agbamuche-Mbu, a lawyer, has served as an INEC national commissioner since 2016 and was reappointed in 2021 for a second term.
She has played key roles in election monitoring, legal compliance, and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
Her appointment as acting chairman follows standard administrative procedure, which allows the most senior national commissioner to temporarily assume leadership in the absence or transition of a substantive chair.
Yakubu’s handover marks the end of his second term as INEC chairman, a tenure that spanned some of Nigeria’s most contentious electoral cycles.
The commission is expected to continue preparations for upcoming off-cycle election in Anambra this year, as well as ongoing review processes for electoral guidelines and logistics planning.
