President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on Professor Mahmood Yakubu, following the completion of his second and final term as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu acknowledged Yakubu’s “dedicated service to the nation” and praised his role in advancing democratic processes in Nigeria over the past decade.
“President Tinubu extends his appreciation to Professor Mahmood Yakubu for his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure,” Onanuga stated.
Professor Yakubu was first appointed as INEC Chairman in November 2015 and reappointed in 2020, becoming the first chairman of the commission to serve two full terms. During his tenure, he supervised the 2019 and 2023 general elections, as well as numerous off-cycle gubernatorial and legislative elections across the country.
Under his leadership, INEC introduced significant electoral reforms such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (iReV) Portal, aimed at enhancing transparency, reducing electoral fraud, and improving voter confidence.
As part of the transition process, President Tinubu has directed Professor Yakubu to hand over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner at INEC, who will serve as Acting Chairperson until a substantive appointment is made.
Professor Yakubu officially handed over to Agbamuche-Mbu on Tuesday.
His departure mark the end of a notable era at INEC, with many analysts acknowledging his impact on Nigeria’s electoral system and governance.
