INEC chair, Yakubu bows out after 10yrs as Agbamuche-Mbu steps in

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA—After a decennary of steering Nigeria’s elections done sweeping reforms and integer innovations, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, yesterday announced his resignation.

Yakubu, who has been astatine the helm since 2015, formally stepped down during the commission’s quarterly gathering with Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, successful Abuja, describing the league arsenic his past arsenic chairman.

Citing Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution, Yakubu said the determination would let a creaseless modulation arsenic INEC braces for a engaged electoral calendar.

By statement of the National Commissioners, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the astir elder commissioner, took implicit successful acting capacity, pending the assignment of a substantive chairman.

In his farewell remarks, Yakubu reflected connected his 10-year stewardship, pointing to INEC’s integer transformation, from biometric elector registration and physics effect transmission to online information and monitoring systems. “Together, we built a instauration for credible elections successful Africa’s largest democracy,” helium declared.

He acknowledged enactment from governmental parties, the National Peace Committee, civilian society, information agencies, the media, and particularly corps members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, whom helium described arsenic “the astir patriotic predetermination officials.”

Meanwhile, Bola Tinubu besides yesterday bestowed connected the outgoing president of the INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON. He besides hailed Prof. Yakubu’s departure arsenic the INEC chairman, pursuing the expiration of his 2nd word successful office.

Yakubu was archetypal appointed successful November 2015 arsenic the 14th president of the committee for an archetypal word of 5 years, aft which it was renewed successful 2020.

A connection by the statesmanlike spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu “thanked Professor Yakubu for his services to the federation and his efforts to prolong Nigeria’s democracy, peculiarly done the organisation of escaped and just elections passim his two-term tenure.

“In designation of Yakubu’s dedicated work to the nation, President Tinubu has bestowed connected him the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON.”

According to the statement, President Tinubu besides directed that Professor Yakubu manus implicit to the astir elder nationalist commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who volition nonstop the affairs of the committee until the completion of the process to name a successor.

In the missive dated October 3, 2025, Professor Yakubu thanked the President for the accidental to service the federation arsenic president of the committee since 2015.

The station INEC chair, Yakubu bows retired aft 10yrs arsenic Agbamuche-Mbu steps in appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.