After ten years of leading Nigeria’s electoral body through significant reforms and technological advancements, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has announced his resignation. The announcement came on Tuesday during the Commission’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, which Yakubu described as his final session in office.

Yakubu, who assumed office in 2015, stated that his decision to step down was in line with Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution and aimed at ensuring a seamless transition as the Commission prepares for a busy period ahead. Following his resignation, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, has been chosen to serve as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a new substantive head.

Reflecting on his decade-long leadership, Yakubu highlighted INEC’s transformation into a digitally driven institution. He pointed to achievements such as biometric voter registration, electronic transmission of results, and the introduction of online platforms for nomination and election monitoring as major milestones that strengthened transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“Together, we laid a solid foundation for credible elections in Africa’s largest democracy,” Yakubu said, acknowledging the collaboration of political parties, civil society groups, the National Peace Committee, security agencies, the media, and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, whom he praised as the “most patriotic election officials.”

As part of his farewell, Yakubu unveiled two new publications documenting INEC’s progress under his leadership — *Election Management in Nigeria 2015–2025* and *Innovations in Electoral Technology 2015–2025* — both now available on the Commission’s website.

His departure comes as INEC faces several critical elections, including the Anambra governorship poll next month, the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections in February 2026, and the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections later in the year. Yakubu also disclosed that groundwork for the 2027 general elections had already commenced.

Ending the session on a reflective but cheerful note, he posed for a farewell photograph with the commissioners before officially handing over the leadership baton to Agbamuche-Mbu.