May Agbamuche-Mbu Assumes Office as Acting INEC Chairman as Yakubu Steps Down

National Commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission, May Agbamuche-Mbu, has assumed office as the Acting Chairman of the Commission following the formal handover by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who is proceeding on terminal leave after nearly ten years in office.

The development was announced during a stakeholders’ meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on Tuesday at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking at the meeting, Professor Yakubu explained that his decision was in line with Section 306, Subsections 1 and 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He said that after serving the Commission for a decade with only a few weeks left in his tenure, it had become necessary to hand over leadership to ensure continuity.

He said, “Having had the honour of serving the Commission for ten years, with only a few weeks left in my tenure, I have decided to hand over to one of the most senior national commissioners by date of appointment. Following consultations with other national commissioners, May Agbamuche-Mbu will serve in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.”

Yakubu expressed optimism that the transition would allow the appointing authorities sufficient time to name a new chairman and enable a smooth leadership process in Africa’s most demographically and logistically complex electoral environment. He thanked his colleagues, Resident Electoral Commissioners, and INEC staff for their support, describing them as “dedicated and resilient public servants who have helped sustain Nigeria’s democratic process.”

He also commended members of the National Youth Service Corps for their contributions to the electoral process, saying they were among “the most patriotic and knowledgeable election officials” he had worked with.

The outgoing chairman said he was grateful for the comments and criticisms received during his tenure, noting that they encouraged the Commission to persevere and improve. As part of his farewell, Yakubu presented two publications titled Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025 and Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025, documenting INEC’s achievements and reforms under his leadership.

Before signing his official handover notes to Agbamuche-Mbu, Yakubu outlined the Commission’s preparations for upcoming elections, including the Anambra governorship election in November 2025, the Federal Capital Territory Area Council election in February 2026, the Ekiti governorship election in June 2026, and the Osun governorship election in August 2026.

He confirmed that INEC had also begun early preparations for the 2027 general elections while awaiting the passage of the new Electoral Act before the National Assembly. Yakubu emphasised the need to strengthen logistics, clean up the voters’ register, review polling unit allocations, and enhance oversight of political party primaries.

The outgoing chairman also reflected on challenges such as insecurity, natural disasters, and the need to improve voting access for internally displaced persons. He said the Commission had made progress in consolidating the biometric register of voters and introducing several digital innovations, including the Election Monitoring and Support Centre and virtual training platforms for election officials.

Yakubu, born in May 1962, served as Executive Secretary of the Education Trust Fund before being appointed INEC Chairman by former President Muhammadu Buhari on October 21, 2015. He assumed office on November 9, 2015, succeeding Professor Attahiru Jega, and was reappointed for a second term in 2020 — the first in Nigeria’s democratic history.

He concluded by saying, “All that remains is to pray that God continues to bless our country and our democracy.”