Politics

Who Will Be The Next INEC Chairman, After Yakubu?

Moreover, some schools of thought said that President Tinubu’s political experience is enough to guide him in appointing a competent and unbiased Nigerian to head the commission.

Published

23 hours ago

April 11, 2025

OCHEFA

“In his first public appearance since the rumours emerged, Yakubu formally informed the ECOWAS Assembly that he was attending the ECONEC meeting for the final time as Chairman of INEC because his tenure ends later this year.”

Who Will Be The Next INEC Chairman, after Yakubu? And will he come from the North, South, West or the East region of the country?

Ohibaba.com reports that since Nigeria’s Independence in 1960, twelve people have served as the INEC Chairman which first existed as Federal Electoral Commission ( FEDECO) , and now INEC – Independent National Electoral Commission.

List of INEC Chairman 1960 to 2025

1. Eyo Esua (1964–1966),

2. Michael Ani (1976–1979),

3. Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1980–1983),

4. Eme Awa (1987–1989),

5. Humphrey Nwosu (1989–1993),

6. Okon Uya (1993, June-November)

7. Professor Okon, Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994–1998),

8. Ephraim Akpata (1998–2000),

9. Abel Guobadia (2000–2005)

10., Maurice Iwu (2005–2010),

11.Attahiru Jega (2010–2015),

12. Mahmood Yakubu (2015-present).

According to a report by the Guardian, the outgoing Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, yesterday bade farewell to colleagues on the continent amid his call for a stronger regional collaboration among election management bodies in West Africa.

Yakubu, who had earlier been rumoured to have been removed from office by President Bola Tinubu, attended the extraordinary general assembly of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) in Banjul, Gambia.

He had earlier dispelled claims of his removal when, on Tuesday, he presided over the commission’s weekly management meeting in Abuja.

The rumour mill on Wednesday went on overdrive when leaders of the opposition Labour Party (LP) led a delegation to the INEC office but were received by an acting chairman, Sam Olumekun.Yakubu’s absence had raised concerns, but Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, explained that National Commissioner Olumekun was the INEC acting chairman at the moment, as Yakubu had travelled to the Gambia to attend the ECONEC meeting.

In his first public appearance since the rumours emerged, Yakubu formally informed the ECOWAS Assembly that he was attending the ECONEC meeting for the final time as Chairman of INEC because his tenure ends later this year.

Yakubu told his fellow electoral commissioners, who previously served as president of the ECONEC Steering Committee, to strengthening democratic institutions in their home countries and across Africa.

Yakubu recalled how he had proudly announced that every country in the sub-region was under democratic rule in 2017. Sadly, he observed, that was no longer the case.

He regretted that today, four countries in the region are no longer practising democracy. Yakubu, however, was optimistic and expressed the hope that democracy would soon return to the affected nations.As his tenure nears its end, intrigues are playing out among political, regional and other stakeholders on how to prevail over President Tinubu to determine and influence whom and the region where the next INEC boss should come from.

While a section of the north is already agitating that President Tinubu should be fair and transparent enough to look elsewhere apart from the Southwest to pick Yakubu’s replacement

Others said the National Assembly should expedite that aspect of the constitutional amendment that deals with the appointment of INEC Chairman, with the view that the solely prerogative of appointing the commission’s chairman must be taken away from Mr President and becomes a democratic process.

Moreover, some schools of thought said that President Tinubu’s political experience is enough to guide him in appointing a competent and unbiased Nigerian to head the commission.

They said that as much as former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Yakubu through his prerogative power, the incumbent President should not be blackmailed as to whom he wishes to appoint.

Politics

Gabon Holds First Presidential Election Since 2023 Coup

AFP reports that Around 920,000 voters are eligible to cast their ballots from 7:00 am (0600 GMT), with the polling stations closing at 6:00 pm and final results expected on Monday.

Published

7 hours ago

April 12, 2025

OhiBaba

Gabonese voters began casting ballots on Saturday in a presidential election with eight candidates that is widely expected to make junta chief Brice Oligui Nguema the oil-rich central African country’s first elected leader since his 2023 coup.

AFP reports that Around 920,000 voters are eligible to cast their ballots from 7:00 am (0600 GMT), with the polling stations closing at 6:00 pm and final results expected on Monday.

Oligui, the general who led the August 30, 2023, putsch that ended 55 years of iron-fisted dynastic rule by the Bongo family, who were accused of looting Gabon’s wealth, has been leading in opinion polls.

Oligui has predicted a “historic victory” in the election.

Snaking queues were seen outside polling stations in Libreville, the seaside capital.

Aurele Ossantanga Mouila, 30, voted for the first time ever after finishing his shift as a croupier in a casino.

“I did not have confidence in the earlier regime,” he said.Oligui took the role of transitional president while overseeing the formation of a government that includes civilians, tasked with drawing up a new constitution.

The country of 2.3 million people is casting ballots at a time of high unemployment, regular power and water shortages, a lack of infrastructure and heavy government debt.

News

Benue LG tribunal to deliver judgement today in Abuja

Published

9 hours ago

April 12, 2025

Charles Flames

The Benue State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal, sitting at NBA House in Abuja, is set to deliver judgments today, April 12, 2025, on petitions arising from the October 5, 2024, local government elections.

The affected local government areas include Gboko, Tarka, Makurdi, Gwer West, Gwer East, Guma, and Buruku.

The cases are among the most anticipated, following weeks of legal arguments and intense scrutiny over the conduct and outcomes of the elections.

Recall that the tribunal was formally inaugurated to hear appeals resulting from the decisions of the initial Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal.

The Appeal Tribunal, chaired by Justice Dennis Igyuse with Justices Michael Ugar and Maimuna Ikwulono as members, was relocated from Makurdi to Abuja in March 2025 due to security concerns and an ongoing judiciary staff strike.

Politics

Lagos Local Governments Election Hold Saturday July 12

The Chairman of the Commission Hon. Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (rtd) assures of the level play ground for all the political Parties and promises the electorate of the determination of the Commission to conduct free, fair, inclusive and credible election in line with the best international standard.

Published

19 hours ago

April 11, 2025

OCHEFA

Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission( LASIEC) has announced that Local Government election has been scheduled for Saturday 12th July across all the 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development Areas, while run-off/re-run election (if any) will take place on Saturday 19th of July, 2025.

Accordingly, pursuant to Section 21(I) of the Law 2008 (as amended), the Commission has released Notice of Election into the Office (s) of Chairmen and Councilors of Twenty (20) Local government areas, Thirty-Seven (37) Local Council Development Areas and Three Hundred and Seventy-Six (376) Wards of Lagos State.

In a press release signed by the Head, Public Affairs Unit of the Commission, Mr Tope Ojo, stated that as the tenure of the present Local Government Administration is running to an end, the Commission has intensified efforts toward the conduct of an election that will usher in a new administration with the release of the Notice of Election that officially commences the electoral process .

Ojo further stated that all registered Political Parties are therefore required to visit the Headquarters of the Commission to obtain Nomination and other relevant Forms on behalf of their Candidates.

Other highlights of the Notice of Election include the meeting of the Commission with all the registered Political Parties on Tuesday 15th April 2025, while the Publication of Election Guidelines will come up on the 17th of April. 2025.

The release further stated that campaigns and rallies by Political Parties will commence on Friday 18th of April and end on Wednesday 9th of July, 2025, while. closing date for submission of Nomination Forms of “substituted” and “only candidate” by the political parties is between Wednesday 18th June – Wednesday 25th June, 2025.

She further enjoins political parties and aspirants to adhere strictly with the time table.