An Acting National Chairman has been appointed for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
She is May Agbamuche-Mbu who has already taken over from outgoing Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
Agbamuche-Mbu who is the longest-serving National Commissioner at INEC, took over on Tuesday at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
She is INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee (LSCCC) chairman whose mandate includes overseeing legal compliance and candidate screening.
Professor Yakubu’s second and final five-year term would expire in November 2025.
He said he was handing over in line with constitutional provisions guiding tenure limits for public officeholders., called on commissioners, directors, and all INEC staff to fully cooperate and support Agbamuche-Mbu until a substantive chairman is named.
The out-going INEC Chairman expressed gratitude to INEC staff, Resident Electoral Commissioners, and other stakeholders for their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to Nigeria’s democratic process during his tenure.
He said his tenure at the commission was both “challenging and rewarding,” adding that the holding elections in Nigeria had seen steadily improving in transparency, technology adoption, and voter engagement.
“I am deeply grateful to my colleagues and the entire INEC family for their unwavering support. The progress we achieved was made possible through teamwork, resilience, and our shared belief in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
Late President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Yakubu’s tenure as INEC Chairman whose tenure began in November 2015. His tenure was renewed for a second term in 2020, thus being the first INEC Chairman to complete two full terms in office. He conducted two general elections in 2019 and 2023 as well as several off-cycle and by-elections in the country.
