Agbamuche-Mbu Takes Over From Yakubu As Acting INEC Chairman
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has stated that his decision to step down from the Independent National Electoral Commission was to pave the way for the appointment of a new chairman.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Yakubu had stepped down on Tuesday and handed over to National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu as Acting Chairman of the commission.
NAN also reports that the brief handover ceremony took place during the commission’s regular consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu said that his exit would also enable the person taking over to quickly settle down to the task of conducting elections and electoral activities.
He said that he knew the enormity of the challenges ahead, having been privileged to serve the commission for 10 years, with only a few more weeks remaining in his tenure.
Yakubu expressed appreciation to members of the commission and RECs for the excellent working relationship they shared.
He noted that since 2015, he had worked with 24 national commissioners and 67 RECs.
He said that he would forever cherish the support of successive secretaries and staff of INEC nationwide.
He noted that over the years, INEC, under his watch, achieved a lot in responding to challenges and introducing many innovations.
Yakubu added that the commission also consolidated the biometric register of voters and replaced many of INEC’s manual processes with digital platforms and applications.
These, according to him, include the nomination of candidates, submission of polling and collation agents by political parties, accreditation of national and international observers, and the media for elections, voter accreditation, and result management.
