Professor Mahmood Yakubu has formally handed over leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as the Acting National Chairman of the electoral body.
Agbamuche-Mbu, the longest-serving National Commissioner at INEC, assumes the role following the completion of Professor Yakubu’s decade-long tenure as chairman.
The handover took place on Tuesday during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja.
In his valedictory remarks, Professor Yakubu called for the continued support of commissioners and directors for Agbamuche-Mbu, pending the appointment of a substantive chairman by President Bola Tinubu.
Yakubu, who was first appointed in November 2015 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, made history as the first individual to serve two consecutive terms as INEC Chairman. His reappointment in 2020 underscored confidence in his leadership, during which the Commission conducted major polls, including the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
As Yakubu bows out, attention now turns to President Tinubu, who is expected to nominate his successor soon—subject to Senate confirmation.
Civil society organisations and democracy advocates have urged transparency in the selection process.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in a letter dated September 27 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, called on the President to disclose the details of the appointment procedure, including the number and names of candidates under consideration.
SERAP also reminded the President of the constitutional requirement to consult the Council of State before making the appointment, and further advised a review of the recent appointment of certain Resident Electoral Commissioners alleged to have partisan affiliations.
“The process of selecting the next INEC chairman must not be a closed affair,” SERAP stated. “Transparency and accountability will strengthen public confidence in the Commission and Nigeria’s democracy.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, emphasized the need for an individual of impeccable integrity and independence to lead INEC.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 24, Itodo noted that the incoming chairman must be politically neutral, courageous, and committed to upholding the law without fear or favour.
According to him, while INEC has made notable strides in electoral reform under Yakubu’s leadership, persistent cases of electoral malpractice have eroded some of the commission’s gains—making the choice of the next chairman all the more critical for Nigeria’s democratic future.
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