Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has revealed that all necessary amendments to the Electoral Act will be completed before the 2027 elections.

Prof. Yakubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Monday, also debunked the insinuation in some quarters that he has been sacked, insisting that he still remains the Chief Electoral Officer for the country.

The INEC Chairman spoke while answering questions from newsmen after he joined other guests to witness the inauguration of two National Commissioners by President Bola Tinubu at Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the umpire, the commission, alongside relevant stakeholders, has reviewed the 2023 general elections and came up with 142 recommendations, adding that out of the number, eight require electoral amendment.

Professor Yakubu, who said that he was at the State House for the inauguration of two national Commissioners from Southeast and North West, said that the commission now has a full complement of the commissioners as required by law.

He 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 complement 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), may his soul rest in peace.

?So now, we have almost the full complement of commissioners.?

On electoral reforms, the INEC boss said that the commission has been interfacing with the National Assembly, adding that two weeks ago, it had a retreat in Lagos with the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives 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 said.

?So, we?re working with the National Assembly on electoral reform, but at this point, I?m not going to give you any more details. You will hear from the National Assembly whose responsibility it is, but we reviewed the 2023 general elections on our own.

?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.?

On the controversy about his office and the speculation that he was sacked, he said that he remained the Chief Electoral Officer of the country.

He added, ?I don?t think we need to waste time so much about these unnecessary speculations. 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.?

Professor Yakubu will step down in October 2025 after serving the maximum two terms, totaling 10 years. His departure is drawing attention because the choice of his successor will significantly impact the credibility of the 2027 elections, particularly as President Bola is expected to run for re-election.

Meanwhile, the two new INEC Commissioners sworn in are Mallam Tukur Abdulrazaq Yusuf, representing Northwest, and Professor Sunday Nwambam Aja, from Ebonyi State, representing Southeast.

The President also swore in two Commissioner members on the Board of the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.

They are Ikpeme Kenneth Ndem (Cross River State) and Hon. Justice Buba Ibrahim Nyaure (retd) (Taraba State). (The Guardian)

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