By Omeiza Ajayi
After a decade of steering Nigeria’s elections by means of sweeping reforms and digital improvements, Chairman of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Tuesday introduced his resignation.
Yakubu, who has been on the helm since 2015, formally stepped down throughout the Fee’s quarterly assembly with Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs in Abuja, describing the session as his “final as chairman.”
Citing Part 306 of the 1999 Structure, Yakubu stated the transfer would enable a clean transition as INEC braces for a busy electoral calendar.
By consensus of the Nationwide Commissioners, Mrs. Might Agbamuche-Mbu, essentially the most senior commissioner, takes over in appearing capability pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
In his farewell remarks, Yakubu mirrored on his 10-year stewardship, pointing to INEC’s digital transformation — from biometric voter registration and digital consequence transmission to on-line nomination and monitoring techniques.
“Collectively, we constructed a basis for credible elections in Africa’s largest democracy,” he declared.
He acknowledged assist from political events, the Nationwide Peace Committee, civil society, safety companies, the media, and particularly corps members of the Nationwide Youth Service Corps (NYSC), whom he described as “essentially the most patriotic election officers.”
The outgoing chairman additionally unveiled two publications capturing his tenure: “Election Administration in Nigeria 2015–2025” and “Improvements in Electoral Know-how 2015–2025,” now out there on INEC’s web site.
Yakubu leaves with main elections looming — together with subsequent month’s Anambra governorship ballot, the FCT Space Council vote in February 2026, and the Ekiti and Osun governorship contests later that 12 months. Preparations for the 2027 normal elections, he revealed, have already begun.
Ending on a lighter be aware, Yakubu invited commissioners for a farewell {photograph} earlier than formally handing over to Agbamuche-Mbu.
His exit marks the shut of what many describe as a transformative period for Nigeria’s electoral system.
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