Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday officially bowed out as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after a transformative decade at the helm.
In a defining moment for Nigeria’s electoral leadership, Professor Yakubu handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the Commission’s most Senior National Commissioner by date of appointment.
Yakubu made the announcement during a packed quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, marking the end of an era that saw Nigeria’s election management system evolve from analogue administration to a digital framework driven by data, transparency, and technology.
“Having been privileged to serve the Commission for ten years, I have decided to step aside in accordance with the Constitution,” Yakubu declared. “In the interim, I am handing over to Ms. May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.”
He explained that his decision was in line with Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), saying the transition would give the appointing authorities ample time to name a new leader capable of navigating the complex electoral terrain of Africa’s largest democracy.
Yakubu disclosed that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise launched seven weeks ago has drawn record participation, with 6.8 million Nigerians registering online and 1.2 million completing physical registration.
“Our Resident Electoral Commissioners have been publishing weekly figures by state, gender, age, and occupation. The numbers so far are encouraging,” he noted, adding that the exercise will continue until August 2026 ahead of the next general elections.
The outgoing INEC chairman rolled out a packed electoral timetable:
Anambra Governorship — November 2025
FCT Area Council Polls — February 2026
Ekiti Governorship — June 2026
Osun Governorship — August 2026
He said the Commission was awaiting the passage of a new Electoral Act, expected to further entrench transparency, electronic transmission of results, and tighter control of political financing.
Yakubu’s decade-long stewardship brought sweeping reforms, including:
A consolidated biometric voter register;
Online nomination portals for political parties;
Digital accreditation for observers and media;
Deployment of Election Monitoring and Support Systems (EMS); and
Launch of a Voter Self-Service Portal and virtual training platforms for election officials.
“We have replaced many manual processes with technology. From candidate nominations to polling management, INEC is now more data-driven and transparent than ever,” he said.