‘Its fake’ – INEC denies rumour of Yakubu’s sack as Chairman

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed as false and misleading social media reports stating that its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has been sacked and replaced by President Bola Tinubu.

A viral WhatsApp message had alleged that Yakubu was removed and replaced by one Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan.

The message, which lacked credible attribution, read: “INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu has been replaced with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan by President Tinubu.”

However, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, debunked the report in a brief statement to Times of Nigeria. “Please, disregard. It is not true,” he said.

Prof. Yakubu, currently serving his second term as INEC Chairman, is expected to round off his tenure towards the end of 2025.

According to the Nigerian Constitution, the process of appointing an INEC Chairman involves the President nominating a candidate, whose details are first forwarded to the Department of State Services (DSS) for background checks.

After that, the nomination goes to the National Council of State for advisory input, before finally being sent to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

The commission warned the public to ignore fake news and rely on verified sources for updates regarding its leadership.