After ten years at the helm of Nigeria’s electoral body, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has officially resigned from his position.
Yakubu, who has led the Commission since 2015, made the announcement on Tuesday during INEC’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja — a session he described as his “last as chairman.”
Citing Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution, he explained that his decision to step down was aimed at ensuring a smooth leadership transition as INEC prepares for an intense electoral calendar in the coming months.
Following his resignation, the National Commissioners reached a consensus to appoint Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior commissioner, as Acting Chairman pending the nomination and confirmation of a substantive successor.
In his farewell address, Yakubu reflected on his decade-long leadership, highlighting key milestones achieved under his watch. He noted that INEC had undergone significant digital transformation, introducing innovations such as biometric voter registration, electronic transmission of results, online candidate nomination, and election monitoring systems.
“Together, we built a strong foundation for credible elections in Africa’s largest democracy,” Yakubu said, expressing gratitude to political parties, the National Peace Committee, civil society groups, security agencies, the media, and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), whom he described as “the most patriotic election officials.”
As part of his parting legacy, Yakubu unveiled two major publications documenting his tenure: Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025 and Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025. Both books are now accessible on INEC’s official website.
His departure comes at a critical time, with several key elections on the horizon — including the Anambra governorship election scheduled for next month, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections in February 2026, and the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls later that year. He also disclosed that groundwork for the 2027 general elections is already underway.
Concluding on a lighter note, Professor Yakubu invited his colleagues for a farewell photograph before formally handing over leadership to Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu.
