Prof Yakubu’s controversial tenure as INEC Chair

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, unceremoniously bowed out of office, weeks ahead of his official tenure end on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Thus ended one of the sourest and most controversial tenures of a Nigerian Chief Electoral Officer.

Yakubu had the special privilege of being the first occupant of that office to serve a record two terms of ten years. When he was appointed on October 21, 2015 by the late President Muhammadu Buhari amidst doubts as to his ability to stand above board, he made many rosy promises. Some of them included integrating technology in the electoral process, upgrade of voter enrolment devices, developing online portals for election viewing and others. Given his favourable press after his tenure at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, many Nigerians were willing to give him a chance. Indeed, Yakubu fought hard to get the National Assembly and Buhari to enact and sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022 into law. The law approved the home-grown technological devices and processes aimed at minimising human interference in our elections.

Yakubu also personally drove the need for massive voter registration. The technological integration, INEC’s advocacy drive in partnership with the media and civil society, the ardent yearning for change, especially among the youth and Yakubu’s constant assurances that votes would count, elicited frenzied expectations among the electorate. Unfortunately, Prof Yakubu and his team suddenly flopped spectacularly on the Presidential Election Day, February 25, 2023. A “technical glitch” that has not been fully explained to Nigerians till date reportedly occurred, forcing INEC to return to manual processes which are highly prone to manipulation. The 2023 presidential election remains one of the bitterest and most controversial in our history, with many local and international election observer groups thumbing down the process.

Prof Yakubu refused to address issues concerning the conduct of the presidential election as he had promised he would do. Instead, he told complainants to “go to court”. In so doing, the INEC tacitly transferred the power to elect leaders from the people to our Judiciary.

Yakubu’s tenure will also be remembered for the unusually high rate of “inconclusive” elections which led to reruns or bye elections that often got hijacked by ruling parties and drained the nation’s coffers. INEC must be made truly independent. Otherwise, it will continue dancing to the tune of incumbent presidents and their parties.

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