President Bola Tinubu has accepted the departure of Mahmood Yakubu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the expiration of his second term in office.
Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 as the 14th chairman of the commission for an initial term of five years.
His appointment was renewed in 2020, bringing his tenure to an end after two terms in line with the law.
Tinubu, in a statement on Tuesday, expressed appreciation to Yakubu for his service to the nation and his efforts in sustaining Nigeria’s democracy.
The president commended him for organising what he described as free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure.
In recognition of his service, Tinubu conferred on Yakubu the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
The president directed that May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior national commissioner, should take charge of the commission pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
In a letter dated October 3, 2025, Yakubu thanked Tinubu for the opportunity to serve as chairman of INEC since 2015.