The chairman of the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has bowed out as after serving for 10 years.
Yakubu, who was appointed in 2015, spent two terms of five years each, in office.
On Tuesday, he handed over to May Agbamuche, National Commissioner of the commission as the acting capacity.
The former INEC Chairman appealed to his former colleagues to cooperate with the Acting chairperson pending the time a substantive head is appointed.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has accepted the departure of Yakubu as following the completion of his second term in office.
In a statement on Tuesday, Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, said Tinubu expressed appreciation for Yakubu’s “services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure”.
Onanuga said as part of the recognition for his contributions to the nation, Tinubu bestowed the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on Yakubu.
He said the president also directed Yakubu to hand over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior national commissioner, who will oversee the affairs of the electoral body pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
Yakubu oversaw the conduct of two general elections in 2019 , 2023 and several off-cycle governorship and legislative polls.
