Tinubu honours Mahmood Yakubu with a national award as his INEC chairmanship ends, praising his role in sustaining Nigeria’s democracy

Tinubu honours Mahmood Yakubu following the expiration of his second and final term as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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The President, in recognition of Yakubu’s decade-long service to Nigeria’s democracy, has conferred on him the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled “President Tinubu Accepts INEC Chairman’s Departure, Bestows National Honour on Him.”

According to the statement, President Bola Tinubu commended Professor Yakubu for his unwavering commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic processes through the conduct of free and fair elections.

“In recognition of Yakubu’s dedicated service to the nation, President Tinubu has bestowed on him the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger,” the statement read.

Tinubu also directed Professor Yakubu to hand over to the most senior national commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will oversee the affairs of the commission until a new chairman is appointed.

Professor Yakubu, who was first appointed in November 2015, served as INEC’s 14th chairman, overseeing two general elections in 2019 and 2023.

During his tenure, he introduced technological innovations, including the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, aimed at promoting transparency in the electoral process.

In a letter dated October 3, 2025, Yakubu expressed his appreciation to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, describing his decade-long stewardship as “an honour and a duty to the Nigerian people.”

President Tinubu, in response, lauded the outgoing INEC boss for sustaining Nigeria’s democracy and described his leadership as pivotal to the country’s electoral reforms.

Yakubu’s tenure, which makes him the longest-serving INEC chairman since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, marks the end of a significant chapter in the nation’s electoral history.

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The handover to Agbamuche-Mbu signals the beginning of a new transition phase for the commission as the government prepares to name a substantive successor.