According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Yakubu resigned on Tuesday and gave the position of Acting Chairman of the commission to Ms. May Agbamuche-Mbu, a National Commissioner.
The quick handover ceremony was held at the INEC headquarters in Abuja during the commission’s routine consultative meeting with the resident electoral commissioners, according to NAN.
According to Yakubu, his departure will also allow the successor to get started on the work of running elections and electoral-related operations right away.
He claimed that, having had the honor of serving the commission for ten years with just a few weeks left in his term, he was aware of the magnitude of the problems that lay ahead.
“In accordance with Section 36, Subsections 1 and 2 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I have made a decision and communicated it.
“I am handing over to one of the most senior national commissioners by appointment date in the interim.” Ms. May Agbamuchembu will function as the commission’s chairman until a permanent chairman is appointed, after consulting with other national commissioners.
This should give the appointing authorities enough time to choose a new chairman, I hope.
“The new chairman will be able to get right into the work of holding elections and electoral activities in Africa’s most logistically and demographically complex environment,” he added.
Yakubu conveyed gratitude to the commission members and RECs for their outstanding collaboration.
He mentioned that he had collaborated with 67 RECs and 24 national commissioners since 2015.
He declared that he would always be grateful to the INEC workers and successive secretaries around the country for their support.
He continued by saying that INEC has used a number of technologies to enhance many facets of election administration, including the convenient placement of election infrastructure, with the assistance of development partners.
Other tasks included managing the returning officers and collation, educating electoral officials virtually, managing the finances and audits of political parties, and overseeing elections through the Election Monitoring and Support Center.
Although a lot of progress was accomplished under his leadership, Yakubu stated that much more work still needed to be done.
According to him, the panel was already getting preparations for the November Anambra governorship election, the FCT Area Council election, and the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun.
He claimed that while waiting for the passage of a new Electoral Act, INEC has already started preparing for some of the main events for the general elections in 2027 in addition to those off-cycle elections.
The National Assembly is now considering the bill. It is anticipated that the new act’s electoral reforms will call for a more thorough examination of our rules and policies as well as the election manuals.
In addition to these reviews, the commission must further purify the voter registration, examine the placement of some polling stations, and reassess the distribution of voters among them.
Another significant area of effort is the administration of party primaries. As you may remember, the commission handled the nominations of more than 20,000 candidates for the most recent general election in 2023.
“Election logistics, which include the production, transportation, and procurement of massive amounts of materials by air, sea, and road, are also enormous undertakings,” he added.
In her succinct reply, Agbamuche-Mbu, the Acting INEC Chairman, praised Yakubu for breaking numerous records while serving as the commission’s chairman.
“We recognize Yakubu’s noteworthy accomplishments and efforts throughout his term, especially his diligence and commitment to serving our nation in an honorable manner.
“We pray that God will lead you in all of your future endeavors. We wish you more success in all that you do when you step down.
“We have no doubt that history will judge you fairly,” she remarked.
Yakubu was reassured by Agbamuche-Mbu that the commission would make every effort to preserve and enforce the standards he had established.
“With the honorable commissioners, RECs, directors, and all INEC employees across the country, I promise to maintain the integrity of the commission and work with the highest professionalism, dedication, and unity,” she stated.
In order to guarantee the commission’s prosperity and expansion, the acting chairman also promised to collaborate with interested parties.
Highlights of the event were the release of two books: Electoral Technology 2015–2025 and Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025, which compiled all of the actions that took place throughout his tenure.
According to NAN, Yakubu then gave Agbamuche-Mbu his official handover notes, which he had signed.
