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By Tracy Moses
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has kicked againt President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as an ambassador, calling the move “embarrassingly insensitive.” The nomination comes less than two years after Yakubu oversaw the highly contentious 2023 general elections that brought Tinubu to power, sparking renewed debate over the independence and credibility of Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
Yakubu, who led INEC from 2015 to 2025, was widely praised for introducing reforms such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Results Viewing Portal. Yet opposition parties and civil society groups had raised concerns over transparency during the 2023 elections, particularly regarding voter verification and result collation. Since leaving office, Yakubu has largely remained out of the public eye, making his sudden nomination to a high-profile diplomatic position all the more controversial.
Against this backdrop, the ADC has strongly criticised the appointment. Its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the timing was particularly troubling. “The appointment blurs the necessary distinction between players and referees in our democracy,” Abdullahi said. “If this becomes accepted practice, future INEC chairmen and commissioners might view their roles as stepping stones to political rewards. Once that mindset infiltrates the system, neutrality becomes impossible, partisanship inevitable, and elections transactional.”
Abdullahi also noted that a review of the latest batch of ambassadorial nominees reveals three main categories: former career diplomats, political supporters or relatives of ruling party figures, and members of the president’s political party. “Where does Prof. Yakubu fit? The implication is deeply unsettling,” he added.
The ADC urged Yakubu to decline the nomination to safeguard INEC’s credibility, preserve his legacy, and maintain the integrity of future elections. Should he accept, the party called on the Senate to reject his confirmation in defense of democratic norms.
Yakubu is among 32 ambassadorial nominees submitted by Tinubu to the Senate for confirmation on Saturday, November 30, 2025. The list also includes former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode and ex-Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. According to the presidency, the nominees are being considered for both career and non-career diplomatic postings, with confirmed nominees receiving their assignments following Senate approval.
Public reactions have been mixed, with some civil society organisations expressing concern that the appointment could weaken public trust in electoral institutions, while supporters argue it is a routine diplomatic posting recognizing Yakubu’s service.
An academic by training, Prof. Yakubu’s decade-long tenure at INEC was marked by significant reforms, including continuous voter registration and enhanced access to polling unit results, moving away from voter registration limited only to pre-election periods.