The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has confirmed that his tenure as the head of Nigeria’s electoral body will come to an end later this year.
Professor Mahmoud, told his colleagues at the Extraordinary General Assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) in Banjul, Gambia, today, April 10, that this would be his last appearance at an ECONEC meeting as Nigeria’s electoral body chairman.
Professor Mahmoud, who has served as INEC chairman since November 9, 2015, was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari for an initial five-year term (2015-2020), and was renewed for another five years (2020-2025). He oversaw the controversial 2019 and 2023 general elections.
The INEC boss expressed his gratitude for the support and collaboration of his ECOWAS counterparts, emphasizing the importance of maintaining electoral integrity and fostering regional unity. He also called for continued cooperation among election management bodies (EMBs) in West Africa to strengthen democracy across the region.
Professor Mahmoud reflected on the achievements and challenges of his tenure with ECONEC even as he praised the contributions of past members of the network, which has worked to strengthen democratic institutions in West Africa.
He expressed concerns about the current state of democracy in the region, saying that four countries have recently fallen from democratic rule.
Professor Mahmoud however, remained hopeful that these nations would soon return to democratic governance.
The INEC address was supported by fellow EMB heads, who recognized ECONEC’s vital role in sustaining democratic practices across the region. The assembly brought together chairpersons and vice-chairpersons from countries, including Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
