By Olatunbosun Obafemi
Professor Mahmood Yakubu has officially handed over the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Mrs. May Agbamuche, the most senior National Commissioner in the electoral body, following the completion of his two-term tenure.
Yakubu announced the handover on Tuesday during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. He urged commissioners and directors of the commission to extend their full support to Agbamuche as she steers the affairs of the commission pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
Yakubu, who was first appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015 – six months after Buhari assumed office – made history as the first person to serve two terms as INEC chairman. He was reappointed in 2020 and oversaw major electoral exercises, including the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
With his tenure now over, attention has shifted to President Bola Tinubu, who is expected to nominate Yakubu’s successor, subject to Senate confirmation.
Civil society groups and election observers have called for a transparent selection process. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in a letter dated September 27 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urged President Tinubu to “urgently disclose details of the selection and appointment process for the successor to Professor Mahmood Yakubu.”
The rights group also demanded that the President make public the names of shortlisted candidates and clarify whether the Council of State has been or would be consulted, as required by the Constitution.
SERAP further advised the President to “use the opportunity of the new appointment to review the nominations of at least three alleged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) currently serving as Resident Electoral Commissioners and replace them with non-partisan appointees.”
“The selection and appointment process for Mr Yakubu’s replacement cannot and should not be a closed shop,” the group stated. “A transparent and accountable process would serve legitimate public interests.”
Echoing similar sentiments, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, emphasized the need for integrity and independence in the next INEC chair.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Itodo said Nigeria requires “an individual of unblemished character, free from political affiliation, and courageous enough to uphold the law regardless of pressure.”
As the nation awaits President Tinubu’s choice, stakeholders are watching closely, mindful of the pivotal role INEC’s leadership plays in safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic process.
