After spending ten years at the Nigerian electoral body, Professor Mahmood Yakubu officially stepped down as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday.
Naijaonpoint reports that Yakubu handed over to seasoned legal expert, May Agbamuche-Mbu, in an acting capacity.
Yakubu’s stewardship as the head of the nation’s election management board saw many firsts, controversies, and memorable moments during his decade in office.
Before he was appointed Chairman of INEC, Yakubu served as the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund in 2015.
Below are ten major highlights of Yakubu’s tenure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
1. Longest-Serving INEC Chairman: Professor Mahmood Yakubu made history as the first chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission to serve two full terms, spanning 2015 to 2025.
2. Introduction of BVAS and IReV: Yakubu’s tenure saw the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), which revolutionised voter authentication and result transparency.
3. Expansion of Voter Register: Under Yakubu’s leadership, Nigeria’s voter register grew significantly, surpassing 93 million registered voters, which is the largest in Africa.
4. Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) System: Yakubu institutionalised a more flexible and continuous registration process, enabling Nigerians to register or update their details outside election seasons.
5. Conduct of Two General Elections: He successfully oversaw the 2019 and 2023 general elections, managing complex logistics across Nigeria’s 176,000 polling units.
6. Increased Voter Education and Inclusion: His administration expanded voter education and prioritised inclusivity for youth, women, and persons with disabilities in both participation and policymaking.
7. Improved Election Logistics and Planning: Through early deployment of materials and improved coordination with security agencies, Yakubu strengthened INEC’s operational credibility.
8. Enhanced Collaboration with Stakeholders: He built strong partnerships with political parties, civil society, and international observers, promoting dialogue and transparency.
9. Digital Transformation of INEC Processes: Yakubu championed the digitisation of electoral operations from candidate nomination and observer accreditation to result transmission.
10. Expansion of polling units: During his tenure, the number of polling units increased significantly, bringing election access closer to many communities across Nigeria.
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]