Professor Mahmood Yakubu has officially handed over the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who now serves as the Acting National Chairman of the commission. Yakubu completed a historic decade-long tenure, becoming the first INEC chairman to serve two full terms. The handover took place on October 7, 2025, at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, marking a significant transition in Nigeria’s electoral body.
May Agbamuche-Mbu, the longest-serving National Commissioner at INEC, steps in as acting chair pending the appointment and Senate confirmation of a substantive chairman by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. A distinguished legal expert with over 30 years of experience, Agbamuche-Mbu holds degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University and is qualified to practice law in England and Wales. Her expertise spans commercial law, arbitration, and international dispute resolution.
During his tenure, Professor Yakubu oversaw key elections including the 2019 and 2023 general elections and implemented crucial electoral reforms, although challenges such as electoral malpractice persisted. Yakubu encouraged commissioners and directors to offer full support to Agbamuche-Mbu to ensure continuity of reforms and the smooth conduct of future elections.
Civil society organizations, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), have urged the government to appoint a non-partisan and credible INEC chairperson to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. Agbamuche-Mbu’s appointment as acting chair provides a period of stability and continuity for the commission as it prepares for upcoming electoral cycles.