President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the completion of his second term and has conferred on him the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in recognition of his service to the nation.
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In a statement released on Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu commended Yakubu for his dedication to public service and his role in advancing Nigeria’s democratic process.
Yakubu, who led the commission since November 2015, supervised two general elections in 2019 and 2023, as well as several off-cycle polls. His tenure was notable for key electoral innovations such as biometric voter registration, electronic transmission of results, and the introduction of digital platforms for nomination and monitoring.
The President has appointed May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior national commissioner at INEC, as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive successor.
In his farewell message, Yakubu expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and highlighted INEC’s achievements under his leadership. He also unveiled two publications chronicling his tenure titled “Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025” and “Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025.”
