Reported by: Ime Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially witnessed a leadership transition on Wednesday as Professor Mahmud Yakubu concluded his decade-long tenure, handing over administrative duties to National Commissioner Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu in an acting capacity.
The handover took place during INEC’s third regular quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja. Prof. Yakubu, who had served as INEC Chairman since 2015, announced that he had commenced his pre-retirement leave in accordance with Section 306, Subsections 1 and 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), ensuring a smooth transfer of authority.
In his remarks, Prof. Yakubu reflected on his tenure as a period of significant modernisation, highlighting the introduction of a biometric voters’ register, the digitisation of processes for candidate nomination, accreditation of observers, and results management. To document his decade of service, he presented two publications: Election Management in Nigeria 2015 to 2025 and Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015 to 2025, both now accessible on the INEC website.
Prof. Yakubu also outlined the commission’s immediate priorities, including ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), which has already seen 6.8 million Nigerians pre-register online and 1.2 million complete in-person registration. He highlighted efforts to clean the voters’ register, review polling unit locations, and prepare for upcoming off-cycle elections in Anambra, Ekiti, Osun, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu, in her acceptance address as Acting Chairman, expressed humility and commitment to continue the work of her predecessor. She assured INEC staff and stakeholders of continuity, professionalism, and integrity in all commission activities. “We will continue from where you stopped,” she stated, promising to uphold the commission’s standards while fostering unity among commissioners, directors, staff, and stakeholders.
The handover was marked by emotional tributes from colleagues. INEC Secretary, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, praised Prof. Yakubu’s leadership, describing her profound respect for his dedication and service. Several Resident Electoral Commissioners, including Prof. Sam Egwu, also lauded his extensive knowledge and transformative leadership, describing him as “one of the most brilliant Nigerians.”
Prof. Yakubu concluded the ceremony by expressing gratitude to INEC staff, security agencies, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), development partners, and Nigerians at large for their support, comments, and constructive criticisms. The event concluded with the signing of the official handover notes and a group photograph, symbolising the end of a defining chapter in INEC’s history and the beginning of a new era under acting leadership.
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