By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
PROFESSOR MAHMOOD Yakubu has announced the impending conclusion of his tenure as Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), bringing to a close nearly a decade of electoral stewardship marked by political turbulence, reform efforts, and regional engagement.
Addressing colleagues during the Extraordinary General Assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) in Banjul, The Gambia, Yakubu confirmed that the gathering would be his final participation as INEC Chairman.
The declaration silenced days of online speculation fuelled by a misleading INEC social media post and unverified reports of a presidential dismissal.
Yakubu’s presence in Banjul, not Abuja, had triggered rumours after the electoral commission announced that Sam Olumekun had hosted a delegation from the Labour Party, referring to him as “acting chairman.”
The commission swiftly clarified that Olumekun’s role was temporary, and that Yakubu remained in charge while representing Nigeria at the ECONEC summit.
Yakubu, who assumed office in November 2015 under the former President Muhammadu Buhari, is completing his constitutionally permitted second term.
Over the course of two general elections—2019 and 2023—he became a central figure in Nigeria’s electoral reforms and controversies alike.
His tenure drew both criticism and commendation for the handling of electoral logistics, deployment of technology, and the commission’s neutrality in a polarised political climate.
During his speech, Yakubu expressed deep appreciation for the solidarity of his ECOWAS counterparts and reiterated the shared responsibility of electoral commissions to uphold democratic standards.
“This is my final ECONEC meeting as INEC Chairman,” he told the assembly, thanking fellow electoral leaders for their support and stressing the need for sustained cooperation to bolster democracy across the region.
He reflected candidly on both triumphs and setbacks under ECONEC’s watch, particularly voicing concern over the reversal of democratic rule in four West African countries.
Though he stopped short of naming them, his remarks echoed recent regional tensions, including coups and constitutional crises that have rattled civilian governance structures. Still, he remained optimistic that those nations would “soon return to democratic governance.”
Yakubu’s farewell was received with acknowledgement from fellow electoral commission leaders from 12 West African countries, including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal. Many paid tribute to his role in shaping ECONEC’s collaborative ethos and institutional legacy.
He notified the session that as his tenure winds down, the focus now turns to Nigeria’s next electoral steward—who will inherit a fragile trust in the commission and the daunting challenge of preparing for future electoral cycles in a region where democracy is being tested on many fronts.
