As the tenure of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, nears its end, debate is intensifying over who will succeed him. Yakubu, who was appointed in 2015 by former President Muhammadu Buhari and reappointed in 2020, is expected to conclude his second five-year term in October 2025.
During his time in office, he presided over the 2019 and 2023 general elections.While some political stakeholders expect a seamless transition, others are expressing concern over the credibility and transparency of the appointment process.
One major issue fueling the conversation is the geopolitical origin of the next INEC chair. Various interest groups are lobbying for the position to be zoned to the North-Central, South-South, or South-East regions.
The 1999 Constitution grants the President the authority to nominate an INEC chairman, subject to Senate confirmation. Given the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s majority in the Senate, analysts believe the President’s nominee will likely be confirmed without opposition.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Alex Ogbonna, former National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Worldwide), expressed doubts about a merit-driven process.“Our President is a Jagaban in every sense,” Ogbonna said.
“To him, geopolitics doesn’t matter. What matters is loyalty and alignment with his values. Since the APC controls the Senate, his nominee will be easily approved.”
Ogbonna also criticized the longstanding pattern of presidents appointing electoral officials expected to remain neutral in elections involving their benefactors, calling it a “Nigerian paradox.”Adding his voice to the debate, human rights lawyer Professor Chidi Odinkalu said bluntly, “Tinubu’s INEC Chairman will be Yoruba.”
He questioned how such an appointment would violate the Constitution, noting that it would simply reflect a continuation of Tinubu’s existing pattern of appointments.
Odinkalu also criticized the President for lacking sensitivity to widespread concerns about perceived ethnic bias and exclusion in his administration.
With less than three months before Yakubu’s exit, concerns remain over whether his successor will strengthen trust in the electoral system or further erode public confidence.
