Amid growing speculation, there are strong indications that the Presidency has begun the search for a potential successor to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu. His second and final five-year term is set to expire in November 2025.

 

Appointed in November 2015, Yakubu made history by becoming the first person to serve two terms as INEC Chair. He succeeded Professor Attahiru Jega, who oversaw the 2011 and 2015 general elections but served only one term.

 

Yakubu’s tenure included the supervision of the 2023 presidential election, positioning him as the longest-serving electoral chief in Nigeria’s democratic era.

 

However, recent rumors claiming that President Bola Tinubu has already replaced Yakubu with a certain Professor Bashiru Olamilekan have been strongly denied by the Presidency.

 

In response to the viral report, the President’s Senior Special Adviser on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to debunk the claims.

 

“Disregard any fake news making the rounds about the replacement of the INEC Chairman,” Ogra wrote, urging the public to ignore the unfounded report.

 

While no official shortlist has been released, the quiet search for a successor suggests preparations are underway to ensure a smooth transition ahead of Yakubu’s November 2025 exit.