By Ayo Ayodele
After a decade at the helm of Nigeria’s electoral body, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Tuesday announced his resignation.
Yakubu, who has served since 2015, formally stepped down during the Commission’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, describing the gathering as his “last as chairman.”
He said the decision was made in accordance with Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution to ensure a smooth transition as INEC prepares for a busy election cycle.
By consensus of the National Commissioners, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior commissioner, has assumed office as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive head.
In his farewell remarks, Yakubu reflected on his ten-year tenure, highlighting key reforms such as biometric voter registration, electronic result transmission, and online nomination systems.
“Together, we built a foundation for credible elections in Africa’s largest democracy,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to political parties, the National Peace Committee, civil society groups, security agencies, the media, and particularly members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), whom he described as “the most patriotic election officials.”
Yakubu also unveiled two publications documenting his time in office — Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025 and Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025 — both available on INEC’s website.
He leaves office ahead of several key polls, including next month’s Anambra governorship election, the FCT Area Council elections in February 2026, and the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls later that year. Preparations for the 2027 general elections, he revealed, have already begun.
His exit marks the close of what many observers describe as a transformative era for Nigeria’s electoral system.