Professor Mahmood Yakubu has officially concluded his tenure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after eight years of dedicated service. The official handover occurred on Tuesday at INEC headquarters in Abuja, where Yakubu transferred leadership to National Commissioner Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as Acting Chairman. Yakubu was appointed by former
Professor Mahmood Yakubu has officially concluded his tenure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after eight years of dedicated service.
The official handover occurred on Tuesday at INEC headquarters in Abuja, where Yakubu transferred leadership to National Commissioner Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as Acting Chairman.
Yakubu was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015, taking over from Professor Attahiru Jega, who oversaw the 2015 general elections. He was reappointed in 2020 after his first term, making him the first INEC Chairman in Nigeria to serve two consecutive terms.
Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu, the acting chairman from Delta State, is the longest-serving National Commissioner within the Commission. She presides over the Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee (LSCCC), which is among INEC’s most vital departments, and has played a significant role in the Commission’s ongoing legal and administrative reforms.
Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu will manage electoral litigations, prepare for rerun and off-season elections, and oversee institutional reforms until a new chairman is appointed by President Tinubu. Her tenure is expected to be brief as the President may any moment from now the name of a replacement to the Senate for screening.
The transition is an important step for INEC and Nigeria’s democracy, reflecting continuity, legal compliance, and stronger institutional leadership in a key agency.
Mahmood Yakubu: Transforming INEC as Chairman
Professor Mahmood Yakubu served as Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from 2015, appointed by Late General Muhammadu Buhari, and was reappointed in 2020. His nearly decade-long tenure brought significant reforms to Nigeria’s electoral system.
Mr Yakubu was the first to serve two consecutive terms, modernising the commission and expanding voter access.
A significant reform implemented was the establishment of more than 56,000 additional polling units in 2021, marking the first such expansion in a quarter-century. As a result, Nigeria’s total number of polling stations rose to 176,846, thereby facilitating greater access to voting for millions of citizens in both urban and rural areas.
He actively promoted technological advancement by implementing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) Portal, both of which were developed to prevent voter impersonation and improve transparency in the transmission of election results.
During his tenure, INEC implemented the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), which resulted in the addition of over 12 million new voters, primarily youth, bringing the total register to more than 93 million. Efforts were also made to improve access for persons with disabilities and to facilitate voting for internally displaced persons.
Yakubu’s tenure aligned with the enactment of the Electoral Act 2022, a significant piece of legislation that granted legal authority to INEC’s digital advancements and introduced more rigorous processes for accreditation, results management, and party primaries.
Nevertheless, his administration encountered logistical difficulties, cyberattacks, and security concerns throughout major elections. Despite these challenges, it significantly advanced Nigeria’s election management by introducing innovative practices, enhancing organizational structures, and implementing a more technologically advanced and accountable electoral process compared to its predecessor.
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