By Bosun Obafemi
On Monday, President Bola Tinubu swore in two new commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). They are Abdulrazak Tukur, representing the North West region and Sunday Aja, representing the South East.
At the same time, the Commission’s Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, dismissed rumors regarding his alleged removal from office.
Speaking to journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Yakubu addressed widespread speculation about his tenure. He firmly stated that he remains in his position as INEC Chairman, a role he holds under the Constitution as the Chief Electoral Commissioner and the Returning Officer for the presidential election under the Electoral Act.
“I don’t think we need to waste time on unnecessary speculation. As far as the law is concerned, and to the best of my knowledge, I remain the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Yakubu said, clarifying that no official action had been taken by the President regarding his position.
In the same breath, Yakubu highlighted INEC’s ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s electoral process. He disclosed that the Commission had forwarded 142 recommendations to the National Assembly as part of its internal review of the 2023 general elections. The recommendations, he said, are designed to address challenges and enhance the credibility of future elections.
“We reviewed the 2023 general elections on our own. We engaged with stakeholders and came up with 142 recommendations. Out of these, eight require constitutional or Electoral Act amendments, and we have already discussed them with members of the National Assembly,” Yakubu explained.
The INEC Chairman also expressed optimism about the response from lawmakers, particularly the speed at which they are addressing the proposed amendments. He praised the National Assembly’s commitment to ensuring the reforms are in place ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“So far, so good. We are happy with our discussions with them and the speed at which they want to proceed to ensure necessary amendments are made,” Yakubu said.
INEC’s collaboration with the National Assembly is set to continue with further engagements. Two weeks ago, the Commission hosted a retreat in Lagos with the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on electoral reform. Following this, the National Assembly is expected to hold a public hearing before introducing a new bill.
Yakubu emphasized that these ongoing reforms are part of INEC’s commitment to ensuring credible and transparent elections in Nigeria’s future.
