Electoral Reform Coming Ahead of 2027 Election – INEC Boss Yakubu Reveals

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has revealed that key changes to Nigeria’s Electoral Act will be completed before the 2027 general elections.

Prof. Yakubu made this known on Monday while speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He was there for the swearing-in of two new INEC National Commissioners by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Yakubu said INEC had reviewed the 2023 general elections and came up with 142 recommendations. Out of those, eight require changes to the Constitution or Electoral Act.

“We engaged with the stakeholders. We came up with 142 recommendations out of this 142 recommendations, eight require constitutional or Electoral Act amendment, and we discussed this with members of the National Assembly.

“So far so good, we are happy with our discussions with them, and we are also happy with the speed with which they want to proceed so that we’ll have some necessary amendments done to the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he said.

He explained that INEC has been working closely with the National Assembly, including a recent retreat in Lagos with members of the Senate and House of Representatives joint committee on electoral reform.

“Thereafter, the National Assembly is going to organize a public hearing, and it’s after the public hearing that now a new bill will, at the end of the day, be submitted to the President for assent,” he added.

While addressing questions, Yakubu also dismissed rumours about his removal.

“As far as the law is concerned, and as far as I’m aware, I remain the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and under the Constitution, the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation, and under the Electoral Act, the returning officer for the presidential election.”

Speaking about the day’s event, the INEC boss said, “We are here today, basically for the swearing in of two national commissioners. As you are aware, the commission is made up of a chairman and 12 national commissioners drawn on the basis of two commissioners per geopolitical zone. So vacancies existed for the North West and the South East, and the Senate has screened and confirmed the nominees, and Mister President today performed the swearing in.

“So, we have almost the full compliments of commissioners of the commission. As we are aware also, about two weeks ago or so, we lost one of our commissioners, Major General Modibbo Alkali (retd), mayor his soul rest in peace.

“So now, we have almost the full compliments of commissioners.”

The two new commissioners are Mallam Tukur Abdulrazaq Yusuf (Northwest) and Professor Sunday Nwambam Aja (Southeast). Yakubu noted that this brings INEC closer to a full team of commissioners as required by law, following the recent passing of Major General Modibbo Alkali (retd).

Also sworn in by the President were two new members of the Code of Conduct Bureau: Ikpeme Kenneth Ndem from Cross River State and retired Justice Buba Ibrahim Nyaure from Taraba State.