By Charles Igwe
Professor Mahmood Yakubu has officially handed over leadership of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who assumes the role of Acting National Chairman following Yakubu’s completion of two full terms.
The transition occurred during a meeting of Resident Electoral Commissioners at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Yakubu solicited the cooperation of INEC commissioners and directors for Agbamuche-Mbu as she leads the commission until a substantive chairman is appointed.
May Agbamuche-Mbu, who becomes the oldest serving national commissioner in INEC, steps into the acting role under the body’s internal succession rules.
Yakubu leaves the position after a decade of leadership — first appointed in 2015 and later reappointed — overseeing multiple election cycles including the 2019 and 2023 polls.
President Bola Tinubu is expected to nominate a successor soon, subject to Senate confirmation. Civil society groups are urging transparency in the appointment process, calling for clarity on candidate selection and compliance with constitutional procedures.
