Yakubu: Why I Stepped Down as INEC Chair

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu says he stepped down as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make room for a new leader. He handed over to National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as Acting Chairman.

The brief handover happened during INEC’s regular meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja. Yakubu said he took the step under Section 36(1)–(2) of the 1999 Constitution. He explained that leaving now will help the next chairman settle quickly and focus on the upcoming elections.

Yakubu thanked INEC commissioners, RECs, and staff for their support. Since 2015, he said he has worked with 24 national commissioners and 67 RECs.

He also thanked the National Assembly, political parties, the National Peace Committee, civil society, the media, security agencies, labour unions, the NYSC, and Nigerians whose feedback pushed the commission to do better.

He listed key changes made under his watch: a stronger biometric voters’ register and moving many manual processes to digital platforms. These include candidate nominations, submission of party agents, accreditation of observers and media, voter accreditation, and result management. 

With help from partners, INEC also used tools for locating election facilities, managing collation and returning officers, training staff online, checking party finances and audits, and real-time monitoring through the Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC).

Yakubu said there is more work ahead. INEC is preparing for the Anambra governorship election in November, the FCT Area Council poll, and the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections in 2026. Work has also started on the 2027 general elections. 

A new Electoral Act is before the National Assembly, and its changes may require INEC to update its rules and manuals, clean the voters’ register, review polling unit locations and voter allocations, and tighten oversight of party primaries. He recalled that INEC processed over 20,000 candidates for the 2023 polls. 

He noted that election logistics, buying, producing, and moving large quantities of materials by road, air, and sea, remain a huge task.

Acting chairman Agbamuche-Mbu praised Yakubu’s service and promised to keep INEC’s standards high. She said she would work with commissioners, RECs, directors, and staff nationwide, and with all stakeholders, to move the commission forward.

At the event, Yakubu presented two books—“Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025” and “Electoral Technology 2015–2025.” He then signed and handed over his official notes to Agbamuche-Mbu.