The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has stepped down from his position, bringing an end to nearly a decade of leadership at Nigeria’s electoral body.
Yakubu, who was first appointed in 2015 and reappointed for a second five-year term in December 2020, announced his decision during a meeting with the Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Tuesday.
His exit comes after spending two full terms in office, making him one of the longest-serving chairmen in the history of the Commission.
Following his resignation, one of INEC’s National Commissioners, Barrister May Agbamuche-Mbu, has assumed office as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive head by President Bola Tinubu.
Agbamuche-Mbu, a National Commissioner from the South, currently heads INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance and Complaints Committee (LSCCC) and will oversee the Commission’s affairs until further notice.
In his farewell remarks, Professor Yakubu thanked the Resident Electoral Commissioners and INEC staff across the country for their dedication and support throughout his tenure. He described his years at the Commission as a period of both challenges and progress, noting that the successes achieved were the result of collective effort.
Yakubu’s departure officially concludes his second and final term, which was due to expire in November 2025.
