Hot SourceImmediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission , Prof. Mahmood Yakubu Tuesday stepped down from his role, pending the appointment of a substantive chairman by the President. Adedayo Akinwale reports.
Following weeks of speculation, Professor Mahmood Yakubu has officially stepped down as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The announcement was made on Tuesday during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu handed over to a National Commissioner of the commission, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who stepped in in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
The immediate past chairman was appointed in 2015. He took over from Prof. Attahiru Jega.
Yakubu’s tenure was eventful. From spearheading the innovative advancement of the commission, improvements of the electoral process, inconclusive elections on a few occasions also became pronounced. This, however, was due to no fault of INEC.
One of the most challenging moments of the former chairman came when INEC Result Viewing (IRev) portal experienced a glitch during the transmission of 2023 presidential election.
After the commission tried all it could, visibly worried and emotionally disturbed Yakubu, later summoned the courage to address an emergency press conference to inform the whole world about the glitch suffered by the commission, while also assuring that the votes of Nigerians would count.
He oversaw the largest number of elections ever conducted in Nigeria, including 2019 and 2023 general elections; governorship polls, hundreds of by-elections, and three Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council elections.
During his tenure, Yakubu ensured technological breakthroughs for the electoral body. He introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), replacing the flawed manual processes with fingerprint and facial recognition.
Aside that, he also unveiled the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), allowing Nigerians to view polling unit results live, strengthening transparency and public confidence.
Yakubu also revolutionised voter registration through IVED and ABIS, eliminating 2.7 million fraudulent registrations. Similarly, he launched digital portals for candidate nomination, party agent registration, observer accreditation, and media access.
Through his innovation, INEC became the first election body in Africa to establish an Artificial Intelligence Division, embracing the future of election management.
Yakubu institutionalised Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) from 2017, giving citizens year-round opportunities to register. It was based on this that over 23 million new voters across two General Elections were added to the voter register.
He further introduced online pre-registration portals, empowering citizens to transfer, update, or replace their voter cards with ease.
Yakubu also published detailed voter demographics by age, gender, occupation, and disability, setting a new standard for transparency.
It was also during his tenure that election dates were regularised, creating certainty and predictability for citizens, parties, and observers.
Yakubu didn’t stop at that, he went a step ahead by expanding polling units for the first time in 25 years — from 119,974 to 176,846 — widening voter access and reducing congestion.
In addition, he modernised election infrastructure, building State Collation Centres across the federation and commencing a new INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
Similarly, he introduced the Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) — a sophisticated hub tracking more than 1,000 indicators to ensure timely planning and coordination.
Through his persist push, he partnered with the National Assembly to birth the landmark Electoral Act 2022, heralding electronic transmission of results and stricter party regulations.
Yakubu further produced comprehensive guidelines and manuals, giving consistency to the conduct of elections.
While following the INEC procedure and guidelines, he deregistered 74 underperforming political parties, streamlining Nigeria’s political space from 92 to 18 active platforms.
Through his well intentioned actions, Yakubu positioned INEC as a technology-driven, reform-oriented, and people-focused institution.
He deepened public trust in the integrity of elections and also elevated Nigeria’s status as a regional leader in electoral governance and diplomacy.
Yakubu also created and implemented legal frameworks for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to vote, safeguarding rights even in times of crisis.
During his 10-year reign, Yakubu cemented reforms that will endure, ensuring future generations inherit a freer, fairer, and more credible democracy.
No doubt, the outgoing INEC Chairman would be satisfied that he has built an enduring institutional memory, commissioning policy papers, reviews, and initiating Nigeria’s first Election Museum to preserve the nation’s democratic history.
Through thick and thin, love him or demonise him, Yakubu’s decade-long leadership was not just about elections, but about transformation.
He leaves behind an INEC that is stronger, smarter, and closer to the people than ever before.
