President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally accepted the departure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu from his role as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), citing the completion of his constitutionally mandated second term. Yakubu first assumed the INEC chairmanship in November 2015. His initial five-year tenure was renewed in 2020, culminating in the end of his second term. In an official statement, released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President expressed gratitude for Yakubu’s service to the nation and his role in preserving Nigeria’s democracy—particularly through the conduct of elections over a decade. As a mark of recognition, Tinubu conferred on Yakubu the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). To ensure continuity, the President instructed that Yakubu should hand over to the most senior National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will act as interim head while a new substantive chairman is selected. In his own remarks, Yakubu expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve since 2015. Yakubu’s exit marks the close of an era during which he oversaw multiple general elections (2019 and 2023) and various off-cycle polls. Further Context & Reflection Under Yakubu’s leadership, INEC introduced innovations meant to enhance transparency, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the iReV results portal. In his official response to Yakubu’s exit, President Tinubu affirmed that Yakubu had conducted “free and fair elections” during his tenure. Still, reactions remain mixed. While some observers commended Yakubu’s stewardship, others have criticized aspects of INEC’s conduct under his watch. The appointment of Agbamuche-Mbu as acting chair ensures that INEC’s leadership does not lapse while the formal selection process for a permanent replacement unfolds
