President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on the outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in recognition of his service and contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development.
The honour was announced on Tuesday in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson Mr. Bayo Onanuga, who also confirmed that the President had formally accepted Professor Yakubu’s terminal leave from office.
According to the statement, President Tinubu praised Yakubu for his years of “dedicated service, reform-minded leadership, and commitment to electoral transparency,” noting that his tenure marked a defining period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the conferment of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on Professor Mahmood Yakubu, outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the strengthening of Nigeria’s democratic institutions,” Onanuga said.
The President commended Yakubu for overseeing several major electoral reforms during his tenure, including the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which improved transparency and public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
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Tinubu also lauded the outgoing chairman for maintaining professionalism and integrity amid intense political pressure, describing him as a “public servant who upheld the sanctity of the ballot and advanced the nation’s democratic journey.”
“Professor Yakubu’s leadership of INEC brought innovation, resilience, and progress to Nigeria’s electoral process. The nation appreciates his service and wishes him well in his future endeavours,” the statement added.
Professor Yakubu, who first assumed office in 2015 and was reappointed in 2020, is Nigeria’s first electoral commission chairman to complete two full terms since the country’s return to democracy in 1999. His tenure witnessed the conduct of two general elections and several off-cycle polls across states.
Reactions have trailed the President’s decision, with political analysts describing the honour as a recognition of Yakubu’s pivotal role in strengthening electoral management, even amid controversies surrounding some aspects of recent elections.
A civil rights group, the Centre for Democratic Accountability, in a statement, said Yakubu’s legacy would remain “complex but impactful,” noting that despite challenges, INEC under his leadership introduced technological advancements that laid the groundwork for future improvements.
“Yakubu’s reforms helped push Nigeria closer to global standards in election administration. The award is well-deserved, though the next leadership must build on the foundation he leaves behind,” the group said.
The Presidency also noted that arrangements are underway for the formal presentation of the national honour to Yakubu at a ceremony in Abuja.
As he proceeds on terminal leave, Professor Yakubu is expected to hand over to the most senior national commissioner at INEC, who will oversee the commission’s activities until a new chairman is appointed.