President Bola Tinubu has bestowed the esteemed national honor of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) upon Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the outgoing chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This distinguished award acknowledges his vital role in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and his enduring impact on the nation’s electoral integrity.
The timing of this honor aligns with the completion of Professor Yakubu’s second tenure as INEC chairman.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, confirmed that President Tinubu has accepted Yakubu’s resignation and lauded his steadfast dedication to ensuring credible and transparent elections during his leadership.
“President Tinubu extends his sincere appreciation to Professor Yakubu for his exceptional service to Nigeria and his unwavering commitment to safeguarding the country’s democracy through the effective management of free and fair elections over two terms,” Onanuga stated.
He added that the conferment of the award reflects the President’s recognition of Yakubu’s “remarkable contributions to national progress” and his “firm adherence to democratic values.”
“In recognition of his outstanding service, Professor Yakubu has been honored with the title of Commander of the Order of the Niger,” the announcement confirmed.
Furthermore, President Tinubu has directed that May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner at INEC, be appointed as acting chairman to lead the commission until a permanent successor is named.
“The President has instructed that Professor Yakubu transfer his duties to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will manage the commission’s affairs during the transitional phase while the search for a new chairman proceeds,” Onanuga added.
Professor Yakubu assumed office in November 2015 as the 14th chairman of INEC and was reappointed for a second term in 2020.
His tenure was marked by transformative electoral reforms and the introduction of cutting-edge technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), both aimed at enhancing transparency and boosting public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral processes.