Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the outgoing chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has officially handed over leadership of the commission to Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as the acting chairman.
The handover took place on October 7, 2025, during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Agbamuche-Mbu, the oldest serving National Commissioner at INEC, will oversee the electoral body’s affairs until a substantive chairman is appointed. In his farewell, Professor Yakubu urged all INEC staff to extend full support and cooperation to the acting chairman.
“I have today handed over to Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu as the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. I urge all commissioners and directors to give her the same level of cooperation and dedication that you have shown me,” Yakubu said.
Mahmood Yakubu is notably remembered for his role in overseeing the 2023 Presidential election, which was widely regarded as a key moment in Nigeria’s democratic process.
His tenure as INEC chairman is marked by efforts to improve transparency and credibility in elections.
The transition to Agbamuche-Mbu marks a new phase of leadership for INEC, with the expectations that the commission will continue its work in preparing for forthcoming elections and enhancing Nigeria’s electoral system.
The search for a substantive INEC chairman continues, with Agbamuche-Mbu poised to manage the commission’s operations in the interim.
