Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has officially stepped down as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), concluding a nearly decade-long tenure at the helm of Nigeria’s electoral body.
In a brief ceremony held at INEC headquarters on Tuesday, Yakubu formally transferred leadership to May Agbamuche-Mbu, an INEC Commissioner who will serve as Acting Chairman. The handover took place in the presence of Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and senior officials.
Yakubu’s departure comes a month ahead of his scheduled exit, following a directive from President Bola Tinubu. During a meeting with RECs on Tuesday, he announced his decision to leave office after being informed of the succession arrangements.
The outgoing chairman served two consecutive five-year terms, having been first appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on October 21, 2015, and sworn in on November 9, 2015. He was reappointed for a second term in December 2020, which was originally set to expire in early December 2025.
According to sources, President Tinubu instructed Yakubu to proceed on terminal leave following allegations from Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma. The governor reportedly claimed that Yakubu’s late-tenure registration of new political parties could disrupt preparations for Tinubu’s second-term bid and alleged that the INEC chief was covertly supporting an opposition candidate in the Imo State governorship election.
The directive disrupted INEC operations, leading to the sudden cancellation of Yakubu’s final quarterly consultative meeting with political parties and a planned session with civil society organisations.
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Meanwhile, President Tinubu is expected to nominate Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), a longtime legal counsel to Senator Dino Melaye, as Yakubu’s permanent successor. To formalize the appointment, the President has scheduled a Council of State meeting for Thursday.
Amupitan, who shares kinship ties with Senator Melaye and has served as his lawyer for a decade, emerged as the leading candidate for the position in late September 2025.
