By Ghazali Ibrahim
After a decade at the helm, Professor Mahmood Yakubu has officially handed over leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Yakubu’s tenure, marked by significant electoral reforms and innovations concluded on Tuesday during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja.
May Agbamuche‑Mbu, the longest‑serving National Commissioner in the commission, was sworn in as Acting Chair.
Yakubu, who was first appointed in 2015 and reappointed in 2020, departs having overseen two general elections and multiple governorship polls. His exit is the culmination of his two statutory terms.
In his farewell remarks, Yakubu solicited the support of the commission’s directors and commissioners for Agbamuche until a substantive chair is appointed.
Agbamuche, known for her long service and institutional memory, now assumes leadership at a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s electoral future.
Analysts and stakeholders are already turning attention to who will be nominated as permanent INEC chairman and what legacy Yakubu’s successor will seek to build upon.
