May Agbamuche-Mbu, a National Commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has assumed office as the acting chairman of the commission following the temporary exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who has commenced his terminal leave.
The leadership transition was announced on Tuesday during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. The event marked a formal change of leadership as the commission prepares for upcoming electoral activities.
Explaining the decision, Professor Yakubu said he was stepping aside in compliance with Section 306, subsections 1 and 2, of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He described the move as part of a smooth handover process to ensure continuity and stability within the commission.
“After serving the Commission for the past decade and with only a few weeks left in my tenure, I have decided to proceed on my terminal leave,” Yakubu said. “In consultation with my colleagues, May Agbamuche-Mbu, one of the most senior national commissioners, will act as chairman pending the appointment of a substantive head of the Commission.”
Yakubu expressed confidence that the interim arrangement would provide ample time for the appointing authorities to name a successor who can immediately focus on the complex task of managing Nigeria’s elections — an undertaking he described as one of the most challenging in Africa due to the nation’s vast population and logistics demands.
