History was Tuesday made in Abuja when Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), officially commenced his terminal leave, handing over leadership to May Agbamuche, the most senior National Commissioner at the Commission.
Her tenure may be shortlived because her name has not been thrown up among those to succeed Yakubu.
The handover took place during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on Tuesday at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu, who has completed his second and final five-year term, urged commissioners and directors of the Commission to extend their full support to Agbamuche until a substantive chairman is appointed.
President Bola Tinubu is expected to nominate a successor soon, subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, becoming the first person to serve two terms as INEC Chairman after being reappointed in 2020. He succeeded Professor Attahiru Jega and oversaw two general elections during his tenure — in 2019 and 2023.
With his departure, attention now shifts to the appointment of a new INEC boss. Civil society organisations and stakeholders have emphasissd the need for transparency in the selection process.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) recently called on President Tinubu to publicly disclose details about the process of selecting Yakubu’s successor. In a letter dated September 27 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP demanded the publication of the names of nominees and clarification on whether the constitutionally mandated Council of State will be consulted.
Additionally, SERAP urged the President to reconsider the appointment of at least three Resident Electoral Commissioners alleged to have ties with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing the importance of political neutrality within INEC.
Speaking on the issue, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, emphasised the need for a new INEC chairman with unquestionable integrity and independence. Appearing on Politics Today on Channels Television, Itodo said the next chairman must be courageous, non-partisan, and committed to upholding the rule of law.
He added that while INEC made notable progress under Yakubu, those gains have been undermined by instances of electoral malpractice.
As Nigerians await the appointment of a new INEC head, pressure continues to mount for a credible, transparent, and constitutionally grounded process that will restore and enhance public confidence in the electoral system.
