JUST IN: Yakubu steps down as INEC chairman
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has stepped down from his position, marking the beginning of a transition to a new administration within the electoral body.
Yakubu, who was sworn in for a second five-year term on December 9, 2020, announced his decision during a meeting with the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Tuesday.
Following his exit, one of INEC’s National Commissioners, Barrister May Agbamuche-Mbu, has assumed office as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive head by the President.
Agbamuche-Mbu, a National Commissioner from the South, currently heads INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance & Complaints Committee (LSCCC).
Yakubu’s stepping down aligns with the constitutional term limit, as he had previously vacated the position at the end of his first term in November 2020 before being reappointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
In an emotional farewell speech, the outgoing chairman expressed deep gratitude to INEC staff and Resident Electoral Commissioners for their dedication, commitment, and hard work throughout his tenure.