The stage is now set for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to announce a new chairman for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday ended his 10-year tenure as head of the electoral body.
Yakubu, who was appointed in 2015, served two consecutive five-year terms and formally handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu a National Commissioner, who will act as interim chair pending the appointment of a substantive successor.
Shortly before Yakubu bowed out, indications emerged that the presidency had zeroed in on three candidates — Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman, and Professor Lai Olorede — as possible replacements.
However, barring any last-minute changes, President Tinubu is expected to nominate Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) to succeed Yakubu as the next INEC Chairman.
Sources within the presidency hinted that consultations with key political stakeholders and security agencies have reached an advanced stage, with an official announcement expected in the coming days.
Professor Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and law scholar, is widely regarded for his expertise in constitutional and electoral law — qualities that may have influenced his emergence as the president’s preferred choice.
Yakubu’s decade-long leadership witnessed major electoral reforms, including the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, aimed at improving transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s elections.
