In a pivotal move today, Professor Mahmood Yakubu formally handed over the reins of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who assumes the role of Acting National Chairman of the commission.
This transition comes as Yakubu’s second and final term as INEC Chairman approaches its scheduled end on 9 November 2025. He took pre-exit leave today, during which the official handover ceremony was conducted at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja, with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and senior staff in attendance.
Yakubu used the occasion to appeal to INEC staff and commissioners to extend full cooperation to the new acting chair. He also reflected on his decade-long tenure, noting strides made in electoral reforms, technology adoption, and efforts to strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral processes.
On her part, May Agbamuche-Mbu, the longest-serving National Commissioner, now presides over the commission’s leadership pending the appointment of a substantive chair. She previously led INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee — a key portfolio overseeing legal compliance and candidate screening.
The presidency is expected to nominate a new substantive INEC chairman soon, a process anticipated to feature during the upcoming Council of State meeting. Meanwhile, political parties under the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have renewed calls for insulating INEC’s top appointments from executive interference — proposing an independent appointments committee in future.
