Yakubu Steps Down, Agbamuche-Mbu Takes Over As Acting INEC Chairman

May Agbamuche-Mbu, a National Commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has assumed office as the acting Chairman of the Commission following the formal handover by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who is proceeding on terminal leave.

The transition was announced during a stakeholders’ meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners held on Tuesday at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking at the meeting, Yakubu explained that he was stepping down in accordance with Section 306, Subsections 1 and 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), having served the Commission for nearly a decade.

“In recognition of the significant challenges ahead, and having had the honour of serving the Commission for the past 10 years, with only a few weeks remaining in my tenure, I have made a decision,” Yakubu said.

“In the interim, I am handing over to one of the most senior national commissioners by date of appointment. Following consultation with other national commissioners, May Agbamuche-Mbu will serve in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman of the Commission.”

He expressed hope that the transition would afford the appointing authorities adequate time to name a new chairman and allow the incoming leadership to settle quickly into the task of conducting elections and electoral activities in what he described as Africa’s most demographically and logistically complex environment.

Reflecting on his tenure, Yakubu noted that since 2015, he had worked with 24 national commissioners and 67 resident electoral commissioners, as well as thousands of staff across the country.

He expressed deep appreciation for their support and acknowledged the contributions of civil society groups, development partners, and Nigerians at large.

He also praised members of the National Youth Service Corps, calling them “among the most educated, most patriotic, and most knowledgeable election officials I have worked with.”

“Above all, I thank Nigerians for their comments as well as criticisms, which encouraged rather than discouraged us to persevere,” he added.

As part of his farewell, Yakubu presented two publications documenting the Commission’s work during his tenure: Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025 and Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025.

He concluded his remarks with a prayer for the continued progress of Nigeria’s democracy.

“It is now my pleasure to sign my official handing over notes and present the same to Agbamuche-Mbu. And from that point, I will take my exit,” he said.

Before stepping down, Yakubu outlined INEC’s preparations for several upcoming elections, including the Anambra State governorship election next month, the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory in February 2026, the Ekiti State governorship election in June 2026, and the Osun governorship election in August 2026.

He also confirmed that INEC had already begun preparations for the 2027 general elections, while awaiting the passage of a new Electoral Act currently before the National Assembly.

Yakubu highlighted the need to further clean up the voters’ register, review polling unit locations, and manage party primaries effectively.

He acknowledged the logistical challenges of election management in Nigeria, citing insecurity, natural disasters such as floods, and the need to update frameworks for internally displaced persons’ voting.

He also listed several innovations introduced under his leadership, including the consolidation of the biometric register of voters, the digitization of manual processes, technologies for locating election facilities, virtual training platforms, systems for managing political party finances, and the Election Monitoring and Support Centre.

“Indeed, we have made tremendous progress, but a lot more needs to be done,” he said.

Born in May 1962, Yakubu previously served as Executive Secretary of the Education Trust Fund before his appointment as INEC Chairman by former President Muhammadu Buhari on October 21, 2015.

He assumed office on November 9, 2015, succeeding Professor Attahiru Jega. In 2020, he was reappointed for a second five-year term, becoming the first INEC chairman in Nigeria’s democratic history to be reappointed and confirmed by the Senate.