The Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has reaffirmed that all required amendments to the Electoral Act will be finalized before the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa in Abuja following the swearing-in of two new national commissioners, Yakubu addressed speculation about his tenure, asserting that he remains the Chief Electoral Officer of the Federation and the INEC Chairman as stipulated by law.
Yakubu revealed that the Commission, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, has conducted a comprehensive review of the 2023 general elections. This review produced 142 recommendations, of which eight require constitutional or legal amendments.
“We have been working closely with the National Assembly,” Yakubu noted, referencing a recent retreat held in Lagos with members of the Senate and House of Representatives’ joint committee on electoral reform. He added that a public hearing will soon follow, leading to the submission of a new amendment bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The INEC chairman praised the responsiveness of lawmakers, emphasizing that the collaborative momentum would help ensure legal reforms are enacted in good time for the 2027 polls.
On the structure of the Commission, Yakubu announced that INEC now has nearly its full complement of national commissioners. Two new commissioners — Mallam Tukur Abdulrazaq Yusuf (Northwest) and Professor Sunday Nwambam Aja (Southeast) — were inaugurated by President Tinubu, filling existing regional vacancies. This follows the recent loss of a commissioner, Major General Modibbo Alkali (rtd).
Yakubu reiterated his legal position: “According to the Constitution and the Electoral Act, I remain the Chairman of INEC and the returning officer for presidential elections.”
Also inaugurated were two new members of the Code of Conduct Bureau: Ikpeme Kenneth Ndem (Cross River State) and retired Justice Buba Ibrahim Nyaure (Taraba State).
