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ABUJA, Nigeria - The outgoing chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, bid farewell to his colleagues on the continent yesterday, urging for enhanced regional collaboration among electoral management bodies in West Africa.
Yakubu, who was previously speculated to have been dismissed by President Bola Tinubu, attended the extraordinary general assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) in Banjul, Gambia, yesterday.
He had earlier cleared the air regarding the rumors surrounding his removal when he chaired the commission’s weekly management meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
The rumor mill intensified on Wednesday when leaders of the opposition Labour Party (LP) visited the INEC office and were met by acting chairman, Sam Olumekun.
Concerns were raised about Yakubu’s absence, but the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, clarified that National Commissioner Olumekun is currently the acting chairman as Yakubu had traveled to Gambia for the ECONEC meeting.
During his first public appearance since the rumors surfaced, Yakubu officially informed the ECOWAS Assembly that he was attending the ECONEC meeting for the last time as INEC Chairman, as his tenure concludes later this year.
In his address to fellow electoral commissioners, Yakubu, who previously held the position of president of the ECONEC Steering Committee, took a moment to commemorate former members of the Network whose contributions have bolstered democratic institutions in their respective countries and across Africa.
Yakubu reminisced about his proclamation in 2017, where he boasted that every country in the sub-region was under democratic governance. Unfortunately, he noted that this is no longer the situation, lamenting that four countries in the region are currently not practicing democracy. Nonetheless, he remained optimistic that democracy would soon be restored in those nations.
As his tenure approaches its conclusion, political intrigues among various stakeholders are underway regarding who should succeed Yakubu as INEC chairman and the region they hail from.
A segment of the North is already advocating for President Tinubu to ensure a fair selection process that looks beyond the Southwest for Yakubu’s successor. Others are urging the National Assembly to fast-track constitutional amendments concerning the INEC Chairman's appointment, aiming to transfer this discretion from the President to a more democratic approach.
Moreover, some perspectives suggest that President Tinubu's political acumen should adequately guide him in appointing a capable and impartial Nigerian to lead the commission. They emphasize that, although former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Yakubu via his prerogative, the current President should not be pressured regarding his choice of appointment.
Underlying the discussions concerning Yakubu’s potential removal and successor are recent claims suggesting that President Tinubu named Professor Bashiru Olamilekan as the new INEC chairman instead of Yakubu.
The Northern stakeholders are leaving nothing to chance regarding why the next INEC Chairman should not be from the Southwest. President Tinubu has frequently faced criticism for appointments perceived as favoring his Yoruba compatriots. Some individuals from the region argue that should a Yoruba candidate be chosen to replace Yakubu later this year, the 2027 elections would effectively be secured for the current President.
In response to such insinuations, Senator Femi Okurounmu, a prominent member of Afenifere and a vocal critic of President Tinubu from the Southwest, remarked, “The President has the prerogative right to appoint whoever he wishes as INEC Chairman. If we are to follow precedent, former President Muhammadu Buhari didn’t hesitate to appoint Yakubu to replace another northerner, the immediate past INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega. Ethnic sentiments should not cloud the decision if Tinubu chooses to appoint a Yoruba individual as Yakubu’s replacement.
“While I might suggest that for the sake of credibility, President Tinubu consider candidates from other regions, that shouldn’t entail compromising on competence. The Yoruba community possesses integrity and other necessary qualities in abundance, and notably, no individual from the Southwest has ever led the commission since its inception in 1960.”
He highlighted that since the establishment of the commission, initially known as the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), followed by the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON), and then rebranded as INEC, no one from the Southwest has been appointed as chairman.
He recounted the chairpersons of the commission starting from Eyo Esua (1964–1966), Michael Ani (1976–1979), Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1980–1983), Eme Awa (1987–1989), Humphrey Nwosu (1989–1993), Okon Uya (1993, June-November), Professor Okon, Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994–1998), Ephraim Akpata (1998–2000), Abel Guobadia (2000–2005), Maurice Iwu (2005–2010), Attahiru Jega (2010–2015), and Mahmood Yakubu (2015-present), asserting, “No single Yoruba individual has held this position.”
A prominent Northern figure, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, stated that the president possesses sufficient political experience to determine the best candidate for Nigeria regarding the INEC Chairman's appointment.
“The constitution grants him the authority to appoint the INEC chairman and National commissioners. While he can consult, it is premature to inject ethnic sentiments into the selection of the INEC Chairman.
Former President Buhari didn’t consult anyone before appointing Yakubu; thus, it is crucial to allow the current President to make his own choice, provided it aligns with the constitution.”
Describing the entire discourse as a futile exercise, Birtus Porgu, President of the Middle Leaders Forum, remarked, “President Tinubu has demonstrated significant resolve that he is not the type of president to be intimidated or coerced into decisions against his will, particularly since the constitution empowers him. I deem the ongoing intrigues senseless, as they will not alter anything.
“The President is likely to select a credible, competent, and dependable individual, yet certainly not someone who would undermine his (Tinubu's) interests. We can begin advocating for the National Assembly to reform the process of appointing the INEC Chairman into a more democratic one.”
Echoing similar sentiments, President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Yerima Shetima, and the Director General of the National Consultative Front (NCFront), Wale Okunniyi, emphasized that the most effective means to improve the electoral framework is to ensure that the process of appointing the INEC Chairman is not solely the discretion of one individual.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the INEC Chairman clarified that the reason the national commissioner currently acting in his stead is described as acting chairman is due to the commission’s head being outside the country for an international conference, and this situation has no relation to Yakubu’s tenure.
