In a landmark transition today, Professor Mahmood Yakubu formally concluded his tenure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and handed over the reins to Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, who now serves as Acting National Chairman of the commission.
The changeover occurred during a meeting of Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, where Yakubu announced that he would be stepping aside in line with constitutional limits and institutional consensus.
As the longest-serving National Commissioner, Agbamuche-Mbu, who also chairs INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance & Complaints Committee, was selected by her colleagues to lead the commission in an interim capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
In his farewell remarks, Yakubu reflected on his decade-long stewardship, citing the technological transformations and reforms implemented under his watch. He urged all staff and commissioners to extend their full support to Agbamuche-Mbu as she leads the Commission through upcoming electoral cycles.
This transition comes ahead of several critical elections on the calendar and marks the end of a significant chapter in Nigeria’s electoral governance.