INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu Clears the Air on Sack Rumors, Talks Electoral Reforms
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the head of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has shut down rumors about his removal from office, calling them baseless and unnecessary.
Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Monday after the swearing-in of two new INEC Commissioners by President Bola Tinubu, Yakubu reassured the public of his continued leadership.
“There’s really no need to dwell on these rumors. Legally speaking, I remain the INEC Chairman, the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation, and the official Returning Officer for the presidential elections,” he said.
On the topic of electoral reforms, Yakubu revealed that updates to the Electoral Act are in the works ahead of the 2027 general elections. He confirmed that INEC had submitted 147 proposals to the National Assembly and has been actively working with lawmakers on the process.
Just recently, the commission held a retreat in Lagos with a joint committee from both the Senate and House of Representatives to discuss the reforms.
According to Yakubu, “From our internal review of the 2023 elections and feedback from stakeholders, we came up with 142 actionable recommendations. Out of those, eight require changes to the Constitution or Electoral Act. We’ve already presented these to the National Assembly, and so far, the discussions have been promising.”
He expressed confidence in the lawmakers’ commitment to fast-tracking the amendments before the next election cycle.
Yakubu also thanked President Tinubu for completing the appointment process of two new national commissioners, filling vacancies for the North West and South East regions. He noted that this development would strengthen the commission’s operations.
“With today’s swearing-in, we now have nearly a full team in place. Sadly, we recently lost one of our commissioners, Major General Modibbo Alkali (rtd). May he rest in peace. But overall, this move brings us closer to full capacity,” he added.
