Inec appoint May Agbamuche-Mbu as acting national chairman

Professor Mahmood Yakubu don step down as di Chairman of di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

E hand ova give May Agbamuche-Mbu, one of di most senior National Commissioner of di commission as acting National Chairman of di electoral body.

Professor Yakubu announce dis informate on Tuesday, 7 September during one meeting wit Resident Electoral Commissioners for di Inec headquarters, Abuja, di kontri capital.

During di handing ova, e say, "I don dey privileged to serve di Commission for ten years wit only a few more weeks to serve, I don take a decision and don send di same as provided by Sec. 306 (1) and (2) of di Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as mended). In di interim, I dey hand ova to one of di most senior National Commissioners by date of appointment."

E say im hope dis go afford di appointing authorities adequate time to appoint new Chairman.

Oga Yakubu, wey dem appoint for 2015, don spend two terms of five years each for di office as National Chairman of di commission.

E beg di commissioners and directors of di commission to support Madam Agbamuche, until di president appoint substantive chairman.

For Nigeria, di kontri constitution give di President di power to appoint new chair of di commission subject to di Senate screening of di individual.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu dey comot from office as Inec chairman, afta e complete two-term tenure of 10 years.

Former Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari bin first appoint Oga Yakubu as di Inec chairman to dey in charge of di activities of di electoral body for November 2015, six months afta e take ova office as di President.

Prof. Yakubu bin complete im first term for office as di commission chairman for 2020, and President Buhari reappoint am for a second term.

Di reappointment make am di first pesin for history wey go serve as Inec Chairmo for two terms. E serve as di 14th chairman of di electoral body.

During im tenure, oga Yakubu say im work wit 24 National Commissioners and 67 RECs.

For im valedictory speech, e say ova di years, Inec don respond to plenty electoral challenges and introduce many innovations.

"We don consolidate di use biometric register of voters and replace many of our manual processes wit digital platforms and applications. These include di nomination of candidates, submission of polling and collation agents by political These include the nomination of candidates, submission of polling and collation agents by political parties, accreditation of national and international observers and di media for elections, voter accreditation and result management," e tok.

Oga Yakubu highlight some of im achievements as chairmo of di commission wey include, introduction of various technologies to improve diverse aspects of election management like easy location of election facilities, management of collation and returning officers, virtual training of electoral staff, management of political parties finances and audits, plus di overall monitoring of elections using our Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC). "Indeed, we don make ogbonge progress, but a lot more needs to be done," e add.

Prof. Yakubu bin take ova from Professor Attahiru Jega.

President Bola Tinubu accept Inec Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu exit, honour am wit CON

President Bola Tinubu don formally accept Professor Mahmood Yakubu exit as Chairman of di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) afta im second and final tenure expire.

In recognition of im service, di President nack am national honour of di Commander of di Order of di Niger.

Special Adviser to di President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, give dis informate for one statement e issue on Tuesday, 7 September.

Di presido tank am for im services to di nation and im efforts to sustain Nigeria democracy, particularly through di organisation of free and fair elections throughout im two-term tenure.

E also direct Oga Yakubu to handova to di most senior national commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, wey go direct di affairs of di commission until di completion of di process to appoint a successor.

For di letter dated October 3, 2025, Professor Yakubu bin tank di President for di opportunity to serve di nation as chairman of di commission since 2015.

Who be May Agbamuche-Mbu?

May Agbamuche-Mbu na ogbonge legal practitioner wit ova three decades of experience, she don wit different clients for both the Public and Private sector.

She come from Delta State, although dem born her for Kano state, northern Nigeria.

She attend St. Louis Secondary School, she later from the University of Ife (Now Obafemi Awolowo University) for 1984 wit LLB in Law.

Afta her call to Bar for 1985, she attend di College of Law for London and she qualify as Solicitor of di Supreme Court of England and Wales. May get LLM wit specialisation in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary and Westfield College, London and she get two postgraduate degree programs for International Dispute Resolution and International Business Law respectively.

May also na expert for Alternative Dispute Resolution and she be member of di Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of di United Kingdom Nigeria branch wia she don serve as Secretary to di Institute.

Between March 2010 and November 2011, May bin serve on Presidential Projects Assessment Committee (PPAC) as di sole solicitor, she bin evaluate extensive nationwide portfolio of major unfinished public projects for Nigeria and for March 2016, she dey appointed as member of di Ministerial Committee wey dem set up to prepare 'The Road Map for the Solid Minerals Sector'.

Bifor her appointment as a National Commissioner for nec, May bin work as managing partner of her law firm for Lagos, Norfolk Partners and she also be di editor of THISDAY LAWYER, one weekly legal pullout for one of di kontri most widely read newspapers.

From January 2014 to September 2016, May don publish 120 legal editorials under her column LEGAL EAGLE.

Her consistent exposure to public affairs/related projects put her for unique position to build a reputable body of commentary and expert opinion for many specialised areas.

Her work na source of public advocacy on many national and international issues, Inec tok for dia website.