The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has confirmed that his time in office will officially end later this year.
He made this known while speaking at the Extraordinary General Assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), held on Thursday in Banjul, The Gambia. Prof. Yakubu explained that this would be his final appearance at an ECONEC event as Nigeria’s electoral chief, as his second and final term is coming to a close.
Appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, Yakubu has led INEC since November 9, 2015. His initial five-year term was renewed for another five years, during which he supervised the country’s general elections in 2019 and 2023—both of which stirred controversy.
In his speech, Yakubu thanked his colleagues across ECOWAS for their partnership and support, stressing the need to preserve electoral integrity and regional cooperation. He urged continued teamwork among election bodies in West Africa to help strengthen democracy in the region.
His announcement followed recent online rumours that he had been removed from office by President Bola Tinubu. These claims were quickly dismissed by the presidency.
Speculation increased when INEC shared a post on social media referring to Sam Olumekun as the acting chairman after he hosted a high-level delegation from the Labour Party, led by Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti. This led many to believe that Yakubu had been replaced. However, Rotimi Oyekanmi, Yakubu’s Chief Press Secretary, clarified that Olumekun was only temporarily taking his place while Yakubu attended the ECONEC meeting in The Gambia.
While in Banjul, Yakubu looked back on the accomplishments and difficulties of his time working with ECONEC. He praised the work of past members who helped develop democratic systems across West Africa. He also expressed concern over recent setbacks in the region, where four countries have experienced a decline in democratic rule. Despite this, he remained optimistic that those nations would soon return to democracy.
Yakubu’s remarks were well received by his counterparts, who acknowledged ECONEC’s crucial role in promoting and preserving democracy. The meeting brought together chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of election commissions from several West African countries, including Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
