By Nathaniel Irobi
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has officially confirmed that his term leading Nigeria’s electoral body will conclude later this year.
This announcement was made during his address at the Extraordinary General Assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) held in Banjul, The Gambia, as reported by PoliticsNigeria. He indicated that this would be his last appearance at an ECONEC meeting in his capacity as chairman, marking the end of his second and final term.
Since his appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari on November 9, 2015, Prof. Yakubu has held the position of INEC chairman for a total of ten years, overseeing the contentious general elections of 2019 and 2023.
In his speech, Yakubu expressed gratitude for the support and collaboration from his ECOWAS counterparts, highlighting the significance of upholding electoral integrity and promoting regional unity. He urged continued cooperation among election management bodies (EMBs) throughout West Africa to enhance democratic processes across the region.
His announcement follows recent online speculation regarding a potential removal from office by President Bola Tinubu, which the presidency promptly denied. The rumors intensified after INEC shared a social media post indicating that Sam Olumekun, referred to as the acting chairman, had met with a high-profile delegation from the Labour Party, led by Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti. However, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, clarified that Olumekun was merely filling in for Yakubu, who was attending the ECONEC meeting in The Gambia.
While in Banjul, Yakubu reflected on the successes and challenges encountered during his tenure with ECONEC, commending the efforts of previous members in strengthening democratic institutions in West Africa. He expressed concern about the declining state of democracy in the region, noting that four countries have recently reverted from democratic governance. Nonetheless, he remained optimistic that these nations would soon regain their democratic status.
Yakubu’s remarks received support from fellow EMB leaders, who acknowledged ECONEC’s essential role in promoting democratic practices throughout the region. The assembly convened chairpersons and vice-chairpersons from several countries, including Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
(Report by Centurypost)
