President Bola Tinubu swore in two newly appointed commissioners to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, while INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu dismissed rumors about his removal, reaffirming his position in office.
Yakubu made this clarification after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, stating that the speculation regarding his dismissal was baseless.
“I don’t think we need to waste time on unnecessary speculation. As far as the law is concerned, and to the best of my knowledge, I remain the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the federation under the Constitution, and the Returning Officer for the presidential election under the Electoral Act,” Yakubu said.
The INEC Chairman also provided an update on the Commission’s ongoing electoral reforms, revealing that INEC had submitted 142 recommendations to the National Assembly to improve Nigeria’s electoral process following the 2023 general elections. He explained that eight of these recommendations would require constitutional or Electoral Act amendments, which have already been discussed with lawmakers.
“We reviewed the 2023 general elections on our own. We engaged with stakeholders and came up with 142 recommendations. Out of these, eight require constitutional or Electoral Act amendments, and we have already discussed them with members of the National Assembly,” Yakubu noted.
He expressed satisfaction with the National Assembly’s response, highlighting their commitment to making necessary changes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“So far, so good. We are happy with our discussions with them and the speed at which they want to proceed to ensure necessary amendments are made ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he added.
Yakubu also mentioned INEC’s recent retreat with the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on electoral reform, stating that a new bill would be introduced following a public hearing.
These ongoing legislative efforts, Yakubu affirmed, are part of INEC’s commitment to ensuring more credible and transparent elections in the future.
