President Bola Tinubu has reappointed Dr. Bala Bila as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and nominated six other persons to fill vacancies in the electoral body.

The nominations comprise four National Commissioners and two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), following the expiration of the tenures of some serving officials.

The President’s nominations were announced in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The nominees will be screened by the Senate for confirmation.

Among the nominees, Professor Mustapha Aliu has been nominated to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the National Commissioner representing the North-West, while Bashir Muhammed Umar is expected to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the North-Central representative.

Tinubu also nominated Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, the current Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, as the National Commissioner representing the South-West. She is expected to succeed Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure expires on October 24.

For the Resident Electoral Commissioner positions, the President nominated retired permanent secretary Dr. Samuel Akinjide Akinleye to represent Ekiti State.

Zahradden Basiru Sanusi, from Jigawa State, was also nominated to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.

According to the statement, the nominations are intended to fill vacancies created by the expiration of the tenures of serving commissioners.

Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process, citing the need to fill the positions ahead of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for January 2027.

The appointments will take effect subject to the Senate’s screening and confirmation of the nominees.