The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced May Agbamuche-Mbu as its new Acting Chairman, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu after completing his tenure.
Agbamuche-Mbu, who until her elevation served as a National Commissioner representing Delta State, formally assumed office on Tuesday at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
At a brief handover ceremony, Professor Yakubu expressed gratitude to staff and stakeholders for their support during his tenure and urged them to extend the same cooperation to his successor.
“I am confident that the Commission will continue to uphold integrity, innovation, and professionalism under her leadership,” Yakubu said.
In a statement, the Presidency confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted Yakubu’s disengagement and commended his contributions to Nigeria’s electoral process. The President also directed Agbamuche-Mbu to oversee the Commission’s activities in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
Agbamuche-Mbu is the longest-serving National Commissioner in INEC and heads the Legal Services, Clearance and Complaints Committee. A lawyer by profession, she holds degrees from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and the University of London, and is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
Observers say her appointment comes at a critical time for the electoral body as it prepares for off-season governorship elections and implements reforms aimed at improving voter confidence and electoral transparency.
Born in Kano but originally from Delta State, Agbamuche-Mbu brings over 30 years of experience in law, dispute resolution, and public service to her new role.
Her immediate challenge, analysts note, will be to sustain institutional stability within INEC, strengthen its legal frameworks, and ensure credibility in upcoming elections.
