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

1 year ago

April 11, 2025

OCHEFA

703 Views

“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

You’re looking for campaign funds — Okonkwo reacts to Obi’s N5bn defamation suit

Okonkwo, a former spokesperson for Obi during the 2023 presidential election campaign made his position known in a statement posted on his X account on Wednesday.

Published

21 hours ago

June 10, 2026

OCHEFA

13 Views

Photo: A collage of Kenneth Okonkwo, and Peter Obi

Actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo has reacted to the N5 billion defamation suit reportedly being prepared against him by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi, describing the move as unwise and challenging Obi to proceed with the court action.

Okonkwo, a former spokesperson for Obi during the 2023 presidential election campaign made his position known in a statement posted on his X account on Wednesday.

Okonkwo’s reaction followed reports that Obi had threatened legal action against him over alleged defamatory comments, with a demand for N5 billion in damages.

Responding to the development, Okonkwo said he had been informed of a letter allegedly sent by Obi and his lawyers but had yet to read it.

“It has been brought to my notice that there is a letter circulating online from Peter Obi, and his Lawyers that I should pay him N5 billion ; Hahaha!” he wrote.

“If Peter Obi is looking for money to campaign, he should privately ask me for assistance, not come from extortion, and I will help him.”

The former Labour Party chieftain claimed that he personally incurred expenses while serving as Obi’s spokesperson during the 2023 election campaign.

“I did so when I was his Spokesperson paying for my flight tickets and booking for my hotel accommodation to some of our campaigns,” he said.

The former campaign spokesman maintained that he would respond formally after reviewing the letter, while urging Obi and his legal team to proceed with the case.“It will be a shame to Peter Obi and his Lawyers if they do not take this case to court. I don’t have time or patience for scammers,” he said.

Politics

Bamidele tasks 11th Senate to consider single term for President, govs

… If you know you are there for six years, only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have.

Published

1 day ago

June 10, 2026

OCHEFA

25 Views

•Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has proposed a six-year single term for the President and governors to enable them to put in their best from the moment they are voted in after 2027 elections.

In South Africa ,the Constitution limits the president’s time in office to two five-year terms.

Speaking to journalists during an interactive session ahead of the 3rd anniversary of the 10th Senate, in Abuja, Bamidele said: “I now see why one of the first sets of bills that I look forward to moving by God’s grace when we come back for the 11th Senate is for a bill that will only make it possible for anyone who wants to be President of this country or governor in any state of this country to spend only one tenure of six years.

“With this, you don’t even have to worry about wasting almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling and looking forward to how you’ll be re-elected. If you know you are there for six years, only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have.”

The Senate Leader also strongly defended the 10th Senate against allegations that it functioned as a rubber-stamp legislature, insisting that the upper chamber deliberately adopted a strategy of constructive engagement with the executive to address Nigeria’s economic and governance challenges rather than pursuing public confrontations.

Politics

Peter Obi demands N5bn from Kenneth Okonkwo over defamation allegations

Okonkwo allegedly claimed that “Obi, together with the leaders of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the South-East, informed the party’s aspirants that any person seeking to contest as a member of the House of Representatives must, after paying the prescribed expression of interest fee, pay a bribe of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00) to the NDC and to the Caucus leaders.”

Published

1 day ago

June 10, 2026

OCHEFA

24 Views

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Gregory Obi, has demanded N5 billion in damages and a public apology from actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo over alleged defamatory statements made during a television appearance.

In a letter dated June 9, 2026, Obi’s lawyers, led by Alex Ejesieme (SAN), accused Okonkwo of making false, malicious and defamatory allegations against their client during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday, June 8.

The legal team said that the remarks were subsequently published and circulated by several media organisations and online platforms.

According to the letter, Okonkwo allegedly claimed that “Obi, together with the leaders of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the South-East, informed the party’s aspirants that any person seeking to contest as a member of the House of Representatives must, after paying the prescribed expression of interest fee, pay a bribe of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00) to the NDC and to the Caucus leaders.”

The lawyers also alleged that Okonkwo claimed there was documentary evidence of the payments, that Obi personally compiled the party’s list of candidates from a hotel room, warned aspirants that Obi would “scam” them, collected money from people abroad and was involved in criminal activities alongside other party leaders.

The letter stated that the allegations portrayed Obi as a person engaged in bribery, extortion, fraud, financial dishonesty and criminal conduct.