…Hands Over to May Agbamuche-Mbu as Acting Chairman
By Mercy Peter
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has formally announced his resignation after ten years at the helm of Nigeria’s electoral body, marking the end of a transformative era in election management. He made the announcement at the third regular quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for 2025, held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Prof. Yakubu welcomed the commissioners to what would be his final quarterly engagement as chairman, expressing gratitude for their support and dedication over the years. The meeting, he noted, coincided with the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which began seven weeks ago.
According to the latest figures released by the Commission, 6.8 million Nigerians have commenced their registration online, while 1.2 million have completed their registration in person.
The CVR exercise, he explained, will continue until August 2026, when it will be suspended not later than 90 days before the next general election in line with legal provisions.
Prof. Yakubu highlighted the Commission’s ongoing preparations for several major elections, including the Anambra State Governorship Election scheduled for next month, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections in February 2026, the Ekiti State Governorship Election in June 2026, and the Osun State Governorship Election in August 2026.
He further disclosed that INEC has already commenced preliminary activities for the 2027 General Election, pending the passage of a new Electoral Act currently before the National Assembly.
The anticipated reforms, he noted, would necessitate revisions to the Commission’s regulations, guidelines, and election manuals.
Reflecting on his decade-long leadership, Prof. Yakubu detailed INEC’s extensive digital transformation, including the consolidation of the biometric register of voters and the replacement of several manual processes with technology-driven platforms.
Among these innovations are systems for candidate nomination, accreditation of observers and media, submission of polling and collation agents, voter accreditation, and result management. He also mentioned new technologies introduced with the support of development partners to enhance collation management, election monitoring, and training of electoral staff.
“The Commission has made tremendous progress,” he said, “but a lot more still needs to be done, especially in cleaning up the voters’ register, reviewing polling unit locations, and improving the management of internally displaced persons (IDPs) during elections.”
Prof. Yakubu announced that, in accordance with Section 306(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he had decided to step down. Following consultations with other national commissioners, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner by date of appointment, will assume office as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive head.
“This will allow the appointing authorities enough time to name a new chairman and enable smooth transition as the Commission prepares for major elections ahead,” he explained.
Prof. Yakubu expressed deep appreciation to the 24 National Commissioners and 67 Resident Electoral Commissioners he had worked with since 2015, as well as the staff of the Commission nationwide. He extended gratitude to the National Assembly, political parties, the National Peace Committee chaired by General Abdulsalami Abubakar (GCFR), civil society groups, the media, labour unions, security agencies, and development partners for their cooperation and support.
He reserved special praise for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), describing corps members as “the most patriotic, educated, and dedicated election officials,” and acknowledged his family for their patience throughout his tenure.
“Nigerians’ comments and criticisms encouraged rather than discouraged us to persevere,” he said. “Together, we built a foundation for credible elections in Africa’s most populous democracy.”
Prof. Yakubu unveiled two major publications chronicling his decade-long stewardship:
• “Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025” — a comprehensive compendium of INEC’s activities over the last ten years, and
• “Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025” — a detailed account of the technological reforms introduced under his leadership.
Both publications, he announced, are available on the Commission’s website for public access.
The outgoing chairman offered prayers for Nigeria’s continued democratic growth and officially handed over his notes to Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu.
“With your indulgence,” he said with a smile, “I would like to invite you all to join me for a farewell photograph. From this point onward, this meeting will be chaired by the Acting Chairman of the Commission.”
Prof. Yakubu’s departure marks the end of a defining era in Nigeria’s electoral history — one characterized by innovation, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to deepening democracy.
