Video: Yakubu retires as INEC Chairman, May Agbamuche-Mbu takes over as acting Chairman
Video: Yakubu retires as INEC Chairman, May Agbamuche-Mbu takes over as acting Chairman
Abdullateef Fowewe
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, after a decade of leading Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has officially retired and handed over the reins to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as acting national chairman.
Video: Yakubu retires as INEC Chairman, May Agbamuche-Mbu takes over as acting Chairman
The announcement was made by Yakubu on Tuesday during a meeting with resident electoral commissioners at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
In his farewell remarks, Yakubu reflected on his 10-year tenure, highlighting INEC’s significant digital transformation.
“Together, we built a foundation for credible elections in Africa’s largest democracy,” he said.
He pointed to key innovations including biometric voter registration, electronic result transmission, and online nomination and monitoring systems as milestones achieved.
Yakubu, who was first appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and reappointed in 2020, became the first INEC chairman to serve two full terms.
He expressed gratitude to political parties, the National Peace Committee, civil society, security agencies, the media, and particularly the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), whom he described as “the most patriotic election officials.”
May Agbamuche-Mbu will act as the commission’s head pending the appointment of a substantive chairman by President Bola Tinubu, subject to Senate confirmation. Yakubu solicited the continued support of commissioners and directors for Agbamuche-Mbu during this transition period.
To commemorate his decade in office, Yakubu unveiled two publications: Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025 and Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025, which are now available on INEC’s website.
