President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to stay on until his term ends in November while the hunt for his replacement continues.
Yakubu, who’s been INEC chairman since November 2015, appointed by then-President Muhammadu Buhari and reappointed in 2020, is set to wrap up his tenure on November 9, 2025, right after the Anambra governorship election. He’s the first Nigerian to serve two full terms as INEC boss, making him the longest-serving in the role.
Word is, Yakubu was ready to bounce earlier. Back in June, his team threw a farewell dinner at the Continental Hotel in Abuja. He’d cleared out his office at INEC headquarters, packed up books and personal items, and drafted handover notes, planning to start a three-month terminal leave in July. He was set to pass the baton to May Agbamuche-Mbu, a senior national commissioner, who’d have been the first woman to act as INEC chair.
But Tinubu stepped in, urging Yakubu to stick around until a new chairman is found, according to insiders. A top INEC official said Yakubu tried a few times to step down without a successor in place, but was advised to stay to avoid any hiccups. This mirrors 2015, when Prof. Attahiru Jega handed over to Amina Zakari as acting chair before Yakubu took over.
The question of who’ll replace Yakubu is stirring debate. Before 2010, only southerners held the post. Then Goodluck Jonathan picked Jega, a northerner, followed by Yakubu, also from the north. Now, there’s talk about whether Tinubu will swing back to the south, possibly the South West or North Central, to balance things out.
Rumors swirled recently that Tinubu ordered Yakubu to start terminal leave immediately, around September 24 or 25, over claims he registered new political parties that could hurt the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of 2027 elections. Those rumors led INEC to cancel quarterly meetings with political parties and civil society groups, adding fuel to the speculation. But Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, shot down the idea that Tinubu could force Yakubu out, citing the 1999 Constitution, which protects INEC’s independence. Falana noted that removing an INEC chair requires a two-thirds Senate vote for reasons like misconduct or incapacity, and pointed to similar false rumors about Jega in 2015.
Yakubu’s still running the show, chairing INEC meetings and approving staff promotions as recently as September 26. When he does step down, Tinubu will nominate a new chairman for Senate approval, a move that’s already sparking political maneuvering as it could shape trust in the 2027 elections, especially with Tinubu eyeing another term.
