Hours After Sack Rumours, INEC Chairman, Yakubu Holds Meeting

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has dismissed claims of his removal, continuing his duties by presiding over the commission’s weekly management meeting on Monday, hours after a viral fake news story suggested his dismissal.

On Monday afternoon, a message circulated on WhatsApp, falsely claiming that Prof. Yakubu had been replaced by Prof. Olamilekan Bashiru.

The message, which lacked credible attribution, stated: “INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has been replaced with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan by President Tinubu.”

In response to the report, the Senior Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Digital Media and New Media, O’tega Ogra, in a post on his 𝕏 handle on Monday afternoon, described it as ‘fake news.’

Yakubu, who is nearing the end of his second term as INEC Chairman, is expected to exit the position towards the end of this year.

On Tuesday, INEC took to its official social media platform, ‘𝕏’, to confirm that Prof. Yakubu was indeed presiding over the commission’s weekly meeting.

... read: “The Independent National Electoral Commission’s weekly meeting began earlier today at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, with the Hon. Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu superintending.”

It also listed the attending National Commissioners, including Mr. Sam Olumekun mni, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Mr. Kenneth Ukeagu, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, and Dr. Baba Bila, among others. The tweet emphasized that crucial decisions were expected to be made at the meeting.