Tinubu Honours Yakubu with CON Title, Appoints Agbamuche Acting INEC Chair

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on the outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, following the completion of his second and final term in office.

The announcement was made on Tuesday through a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.

According to the Presidency, the recognition marks Tinubu’s appreciation of Yakubu’s decade-long service and contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions through credible elections.

In the statement, Onanuga said President Tinubu commended Yakubu for his “services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure.”

“President Tinubu thanked Professor Yakubu for his services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure,” the statement read.

Onanuga added that the CON national honour was a mark of appreciation for Yakubu’s commitment to transparent electoral processes during his stewardship at the commission.

Following Yakubu’s exit, President Tinubu has directed that May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior national commissioner at INEC, take charge as acting chairman pending the appointment of a substantive replacement.

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“President Tinubu also directed that Professor Yakubu should hand over to the most senior national commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will direct the affairs of the commission until the completion of the process to appoint a successor,” Onanuga stated.

Agbamuche-Mbu’s temporary leadership is expected to ensure a seamless administrative transition at the electoral body.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 as the 14th Chairman of INEC by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, for a five-year term.

He was reappointed in 2020 for another five years, becoming one of the longest-serving heads in the commission’s history.

Under his leadership, INEC introduced several electoral reforms and technological innovations, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which enhanced transparency and voter confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Yakubu oversaw multiple general elections, off-cycle polls, and continuous voter registration exercises that expanded Nigeria’s voter roll to over 93 million registered voters by 2023.

President Tinubu’s gesture comes amid growing calls for reform within the electoral system, with the Presidency describing Yakubu’s tenure as “a decade defined by steady progress, institutional resilience, and commitment to fairness.”

“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,” Onanuga said.

Yakubu’s departure officially marks the end of his 10-year tenure at INEC, during which he presided over two general elections and numerous state polls.