INEC’s Spokesman Confirms Tinubu Did Not Sack Mahmood

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed social media reports that President Bola Tinubu has sacked its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

Naijaonpoint reports that a viral WhatsApp message indicated that Tinubu had sacked Mahmood and replaced him with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan.

The message read, “INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu has been replaced with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan by President Tinubu.” 

Speaking with Vanguard Newspaper, the Chief Press Secretary CPS to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said: “Please, disregard. It is not true.”

Similarly, the presidency has dismissed rumours that President Tinubu has approved the replacement of Mahmood Yakubu.

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

He wrote: “Disregard any fake news making the rounds about the replacement of the INEC Chairman.

“Any such announcement will come from the SGF’s office or the any other official source.”

Also debunking the rumours, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said the rumours are not true.

He wrote on social media “The story trending across media platforms to the effect that Mr President @officialABAT has either sacked the INEC chairman or has replaced the INEC chairman is not true and should be discountenanced.

“Decisions and or official acts of Mr President are communicated through official channels and not rumor mill.”