As Professor Mahmood Yakubu's second term ends, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has agreed to let him step down as Chairman of the Independ...
In November 2015, Yakubu was named the 14th head of the commission. His first term was for five years. The position, which was renewed in 2020, is no longer valid because time has passed.
Trump's information and strategy adviser, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Tuesday that Tinubu thanked Yakubu for his "services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria's democracy, particularly by organising free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure." Onanuga said that Tinubu gave Yakubu the national title of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) to show appreciation for his service to the country.
He also said that the president told Yakubu to hand over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who is the highest-ranking national commissioner and will be in charge of the electoral body until a permanent head is chosen. Yakubu gave Agbamuche-Mbu the reins of the commission on Tuesday, making her the acting chairman of INEC.
Yakubu was in charge of two general elections, in 2019 and 2023, as well as a number of off-cycle votes for governor and lawmakers.
INEC made changes like the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and the INEC result viewing site (iReV) while he was in charge. These changes were meant to make the election process more open and trustworthy.