When Professor Mahmud Yakubu was named the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in October 2015, he pledged to reform the commission and introduce necessary changes that would help strengthen the country’s electoral process.
In demonstrating his commitment, he consistently urged legislators to make timely interventions ahead of each election cycle. For instance, in 2019, while presenting Certificates of Return to newly elected lawmakers, the outgoing INEC chairman handed what seemed like a tall order to the lawmakers, as he charged them to come up with a new Electoral Act that would improve subsequent elections.
“There is a lot of work; but very little time available. As a process govern by law, the success of election in Nigeria depends to a large extent on the electoral legal framework and most importantly in ensuring adherence to the law.
POWER OF FAVOUR?
(Silent, Powerful, Spiritual)
Don’t miss out on your desires. You are not the only one pursuing them. Command power of favour to achieve your heart desires:
In your undertakings. Work. Job. Career. Profession. Business. Politics. Workplace. Powerful position. Patronage. Selling. Contract. People/ crowd. Global fame. Love matters. Etc.
SPIRITUAL CONSULTATION ON:
Spiritual power of favour over efforts alone for desired outcome. Overcome delay with power of favour. Overcome rejection with power of favour. Other matters.
For Spiritual Consultation, Guidance, Contact:
DR. J.A FAROS
Call/ Whatsapp + 2 3 4 0 7 0 3 0 5 1 4 0 6 3
Sango-ota. Lagos. Nigeria.
Distance no barrier( 3 options)
By Unlimiting Power of God, Every Dream materialized.
“I want to assure you that we will continue to work with the National Assembly to review and strengthen our electoral law. But I want to appeal to the senators-elect to please start work early and conclude work on electoral framework in a good time well ahead of the 2023 general election,” Yakubu said at the time.
He may have issued that charge to the lawmakers in view of the fact that one of the key preconditions for free, fair, and credible elections is a clear and unambiguous legal framework. According to experts, this is essential because elections thrive on a robust legal architecture built on the principles of inclusion, integrity, justice, and equity.
In what appeared to be a direct response to the INEC chairman’s call, some significant reforms were introduced into the electoral process ahead of the 2023 general elections. The intervention birthed the new Electoral Act (2022). However, the late passage of such amendments has remained a recurring challenge.
Regardless, those who have followed the trajectory of Professor Yakubu, who made history as the first INEC chairman to serve two consecutive terms, believe that his uninterrupted decade-long tenure brought a measure of stability to the Commission, allowing for continuity in its policies and programmes.
For instance, he built an enduring institutional memory within the commission by commissioning policy papers, conducting reviews, and establishing Nigeria’s first Election Museum to preserve the nation’s democratic history. The outgoing INEC boss will be remembered as the first person to oversee the largest number of elections in Nigeria’s history, including the 2019 and 2023 general elections, several by-elections, and three Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council elections.
Last line
Despite Professor Yakubu’s notable reforms, his tenure at INEC was not without controversy. The 2023 general elections, in particular, drew widespread criticism over delayed result transmission, technical glitches with the BVAS, and perceived lapses in transparency during result collation. INEC also faced persistent logistical setbacks, such as late deployment of materials and last-minute postponements. These challenges, critics argued, undermined public confidence in the Commission’s capacity to deliver credible elections.
Beyond operational issues, INEC under Yakubu was also faulted for weak enforcement of campaign finance laws, inconsistency in the application of electoral rules, and limited oversight of internal party democracy.
While opinions may be divided over Professor Yakubu’s 10-year tenure at INEC, what remains indisputable is that some of the most transformative reforms in Nigeria’s electoral process that have deepened the country’s democratic experience, occurred under his leadership over the past decade. Even critics acknowledge that his tenure marked a turning point in institutional modernisation, with some technological and structural reforms that have reshaped Nigeria’s electoral landscape.