Professor Mahmoud Yakubu has stepped down as the Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after serving for a decade, completing two consecutive five-year terms.
He officially handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, who now serves as the Acting National Chairman of INEC.
Yakubu’s resignation took effect on October 7, 2025, about a month earlier than his official tenure end scheduled for November 9, 2025.
May Agbamuche-Mbu is a seasoned lawyer with over thirty years of experience in both the public and private sectors.
She has a strong legal background with qualifications from Obafemi Awolowo University and institutions in the UK.
She chairs INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance & Complaints Committee and is the longest-serving National Commissioner in the commission.
Acting in this role, she will lead INEC until a substantive chairman is appointed.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted Yakubu’s resignation and recognized his contributions to Nigeria’s electoral process by bestowing on him the national honor of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
The President has directed that Agbamuche-Mbu manage the commission’s affairs during the transition period.
Yakubu expressed gratitude to INEC staff and commissioners during a meeting to formally hand over responsibilities.
His departure allows the appointing authorities sufficient time to select and install a new substantive chairman, with reports suggesting Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as a likely nominee for the role.