BREAKING: Yakubu Mahmood Hands Over As INEC Chairman, As Agbamuche-Mbu Takes Over

 

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has announced his resignation from the commission.

The outgoing chairman of the electoral umpire formally stepped down from his position after a decade of steering Nigeria’s elections through sweeping reforms and digital innovations upon his appointment in 2015 by late President Muhammadu Buhari.

Yakubu, while handling over to the most senior INEC National Commissioners, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, during the Commission’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs in Abuja, described the session as his last as chairman.

The INEC Chairman explained that his decision to handover ahead of his official date is to allow a smooth transition as INEC braces for a busy electoral calendar in line with Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution.

He added that Agbamuche-Mbu will take over in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.

Yakubu in his farewell remarks, reflected on his 10-year stewardship, listed some of the commission’s achievements under his leadership to include INEC’s digital transformation from biometric voter registration and electronic result transmission to online nomination and monitoring systems.

“Together, we built a foundation for credible elections in Africa’s largest democracy,” he declared.

He acknowledged support from political parties, the National Peace Committee, civil society, security agencies, the media, and especially corps members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), whom he described as “the most patriotic election officials.”

It will be recalled that Yakubu departure is coming ahead of November’s Anambra governorship poll, as well as the FCT Area Council vote in February 2026, and the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls in 2026 with the preparations for the 2027 general polls already in top gear.