Yakubu hands over to Ahmed Mu’azu as acting INEC chairman

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Monday handed over the chairmanship of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Mu’azu (Rtd), a national commissioner of the electoral body from the Northeast.

Mu’azu is in charge of the electoral logistics committee of the commission.

The new acting chairman will serve in an acting capacity pending the confirmation of Yakubu’s re-nomination or otherwise by the Senate.

The handing over ceremony took place at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in October reappointed Prof. Yakubu as INEC chairman for a second and final term.

Yakubu was first appointed by President Buhari in October 2015 and assumed office on November 9, 2015, where he has been overseeing the activities of the commission.

Yakubu’s reappointment is subject to approval by members of the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

Five other national commissioners also bowed out of the commission on Monday.

Mua’zu was born on 6th September, 1957 in Gombe State. He had his early education in Gombe, Kaduna and Maiduguri between 1964 -1975.

He joined the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as a Potential Pilot in June 1976 and was commissioned Pilot Officer into Air Traffic Control (ATC) Specialty in 1979. He rose to the professional rank of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) in 2007.

He obtained his Master of Science (MSc) degree in Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan in 2005. He voluntarily retired from service in 2013.