INEC chairman Yakubu officially proceeds on terminal leave
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has officially proceeded on terminal leave.
In a brief ceremony at the commission’s headquarters on Tuesday, Yakubu handed over to National Commissioner, May Agbamuche.
Mahmood’s exit as INEC chairman marks the end of a 10-year tenure across two terms. He was appointed by late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
TheNiche gathered that the process to appoint a successor of Professor Mahmood has already kicked off.
According to sources, President Bola Tinubu has scheduled a meeting of the Council of State for this Thursday to present a nominee for their approval.
Yakubu, who has been at the helm since 2015, formally stepped down during the Commission’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, describing the session as his “last as chairman.”
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Citing Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution, Yakubu said the move would allow a smooth transition as INEC braces for a busy electoral calendar.
By consensus of the National Commissioners, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior commissioner, takes over in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
In his farewell remarks, Yakubu reflected on his 10-year stewardship, pointing to 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.”
Yakubu also unveiled two publications capturing his tenure: “Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025” and “Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025,” now available on INEC’s website.
Yakubu leaves with major elections looming — including next month’s Anambra governorship poll, the FCT Area Council vote in February 2026, and the Ekiti and Osun governorship contests later that year. Preparations for the 2027 general elections, he revealed, have already begun.
