2027: Yakubu Bows Out As INEC Chair, Commission Gets Acting Chairman

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has stepped down from his position, marking the beginning of a transition to a new administration within the electoral body.

Yakubu on Tuesday announced his decision to step aside at a meeting with Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

FreshPage recalls that Prof. Yakubu took oath of officer for a second five-year term in office on December 9, 2020.

Following his exit, one of INEC’s National Commissioners, Barrister May Agbamuche-Mbu, has assumed office as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive head by the President.

Agbamuche-Mbu, a National Commissioner from the South, currently heads INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance & Complaints Committee (LSCCC).

Yakubu’s stepping down aligns with the constitutional term limit, as he had previously vacated the position at the end of his first term in November 2020 before being reappointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

The outgoing chairman in his farewell speech expressed deep gratitude to INEC staff and Resident Electoral Commissioners for their dedication, commitment, and hard work throughout his tenure.