Buhari swears in Yakubu as INEC Chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, for another five-year term. The brief ceremony took place before the commencement of the 27th virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting currently being presided over by President Buhari at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja. […]

President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, for another five-year term.

The brief ceremony took place before the commencement of the 27th virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting currently being presided over by President Buhari at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.

The President reappointed Prof. Yakubu as Chairman of INEC Chairman for another term on October 27, making him the first chair to be reappointed to head the commission.

While speaking, Prof. Yakubu said: “We have clearly demonstrated in recent elections that elections are getting better and they will continue to get better.

“The National Assembly is holding a public hearing on the amendment of the electoral legal framework. This is important and this time around, working with the National Assembly, we’ll ensure a speedy passage of the amendment bill and once it is assented to, it will help us enormously in confronting the challenges ahead.

“The preparations for 2023 general elections have proceeded in earnest, we need certainty and therefore the electoral legal framework is fundamental, without which we cannot formulate our regulations and guidelines. Without our regulations and guidelines, we cannot conclude work on the manual for the training of ad-hoc staff for the elections.

“So, from here, I am going to proceed to the National Assembly, so, work begins in earnest and we have already started.”

Return tenure

Yakubu is expected to resume Wednesday afternoon for his second term in office.

The INEC Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Nick Dazang, confirm this on Wednesday in Abuja.

“The Acting Chairman (INEC), AVM Ahmed Mu’azu (rtd) is to hand over to the  Chairman INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at 3.30 pm today, 9th December 2020,” Dazang said.

Prof. Yakubu, after the expiration of his first tenure, had on November 9 handed over the chairmanship of INEC to Mu’azu, a National Commissioner from North East.

Mu’azu is in charge of the electoral logistics committee of the commission.

Yakubu was first appointed by President Buhari in October 2015 and assumed office on November 9, 2015.

The Senate had on December 1 confirmed his re-appointment as INEC Chairman.

This followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on INEC, presented by its Chairman, Kabiru Gaya, at the plenary.