General News
INEC Chairman Yakubu Presides Over Management Meeting, Dismisses Sack Rumour
By Iyojo Ameh
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Tuesday presided over the Commission’s weekly management meeting at its headquarters in Abuja, amid rumours of his alleged removal from office.
Unverified reports had earlier circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, falsely claiming that President Bola Tinubu had sacked Prof. Yakubu and appointed Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan as his replacement. The message, which lacked credible sources, was swiftly debunked.
Reacting to the rumour, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, described the claim as false. “Please, disregard. It is not true,” he said in a brief statement.
Prof. Yakubu, who was first appointed in 2015 and reappointed in 2020 for a second term, is expected to serve until the end of his tenure later this year.
INEC confirmed the commencement of Tuesday’s management meeting in a post on its official social media handle. The meeting, chaired by Prof. Yakubu, was attended by several National Commissioners, including Mr. Sam Olumekun, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Mr. Kenneth Ukeagu, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, and Dr. Baba Bila.
Others present were Malam Mohammed Haruna, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, Prof. Sani Adam (SAN), and the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
