The civic advocacy group Yiaga Africa, known for promoting democracy, human rights, and citizen participation, has asserted that Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) became weakened and overly politicised under the leadership of its immediate past chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
According to the organisation, Yakubu’s departure marks a pivotal point for the nation, especially as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prepares to appoint a new head for the electoral body. Yiaga Africa emphasised that what INEC urgently requires are leaders of integrity—individuals capable of standing firm against political pressure, as the credibility of future elections will depend heavily on this.
Despite the various reforms introduced during Yakubu’s tenure, Yiaga Africa lamented that the Commission had failed to demonstrate true independence, missing several opportunities to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Speaking on Channels Television on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, explained that widespread political interference and dwindling public trust overshadowed most of INEC’s achievements under Yakubu’s decade-long administration.
“INEC today is weak due to political interference, and trust in the system has dropped to its lowest point since the 2023 elections,” Itodo said.
He noted that although Yakubu’s ten years at the helm had moments of progress, those gains were largely undermined by external influence and the Commission’s inability to resist pressure from political actors.
According to Itodo, controversies surrounding the voter register, INEC’s failure to discipline compromised officials, and its inconsistent enforcement of guidelines all serve as evidence of the institution’s eroding credibility.
“Nigerians no longer have faith that their votes truly count,” he added. “And that’s a dangerous position for any democracy.”
Nonetheless, Yiaga Africa acknowledged that Yakubu’s tenure was not without notable achievements. Itodo particularly praised the introduction of technological innovations that reshaped the electoral landscape, even though they were not fully utilised.
“The BVAS and IReV systems were revolutionary,” he said. “For the first time, Nigerians could monitor results online, and the integrity of voter accreditation significantly improved. These were remarkable reforms — but their full potential was never realised because of the influence of political actors.”
Yiaga Africa concluded that the next INEC leadership must focus on restoring public confidence, asserting institutional independence, and building on the technological foundations already laid, to ensure that Nigeria’s elections remain credible and transparent.
