Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has taken a bow as his two term tenure finally come to an end.
Prof. Mahmood handed over the leadership of the electoral body to Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu on Tuesday, and will now serve as the acting national chairman of the commission.
The handover took place during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Agbamuche-Mbu, who represents Delta State on the commission, is the most senior national commissioner and will oversee the affairs of INEC pending the appointment of a substantive chairman by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his remarks, Yakubu expressed gratitude to his colleagues and staff for their cooperation and dedication throughout his tenure.
“I sincerely thank all members of the commission for their support and professionalism over the years. I urge you to extend the same level of commitment to my successor,” Yakubu said.
Agbamuche-Mbu, a lawyer and long-serving election administrator, has been a member of the commission since 2016 and was reappointed in 2021 for a second term. She has played significant roles in election monitoring, legal compliance, and stakeholder engagement within INEC.
Her appointment follows standard administrative procedure, which mandates that the most senior national commissioner assumes leadership in an acting capacity whenever there is a transition or vacancy in the office of the chairman.
Appointed in 2015 and reappointed in 2020, Yakubu oversaw the conduct of the 2019 and 2023 general elections, as well as several off-cycle governorship and legislative polls.
Under his leadership, INEC introduced major technological reforms such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, innovations aimed at improving transparency and strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
The transition comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the upcoming Anambra off-cycle governorship election and ongoing electoral guideline reviews. Agbamuche-Mbu is expected to continue these activities and maintain administrative stability until a new chairman is appointed.
Yakubu’s departure also comes amid calls for deeper electoral reforms and discussions around constitutional amendments to further enhance INEC’s independence and operational efficiency.
The handover ceremony was witnessed by INEC national commissioners, directors, and senior management staff, marking the start of a new chapter in Nigeria’s electoral administration.