The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as an ambassador, describing the move as “embarrassingly insensitive” and a threat to public trust in Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
In a statement on Sunday, the ADC’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that the nomination is particularly contentious as it comes less than two years after Yakubu supervised the 2023 presidential election that brought Tinubu to power, and only weeks after his exit from INEC.
“This particular appointment of Prof. Yakubu blurs what should be a distinct line between players and umpires,” Abdullahi said.
“If allowed to stand, it would set a dangerous precedent where future INEC chairmen and commissioners may begin to see their positions as stepping stones to future political rewards. Once that mindset enters the bloodstream of our electoral system, neutrality becomes impossible, partisanship becomes inevitable, and elections become transactional.”
Abdullahi expressed concern that the nomination could reinforce public perception that top electoral officials might be incentivised to act in ways favourable to the ruling party with expectations of future appointments.
“A cursory review of the list would show that almost all the nominees fall into three categories: former career diplomats or ambassadors, political supporters or their relatives, and members of the president’s political party. We wonder in which of these three categories Prof. Yakubu belongs. The implication of this is deeply unsettling indeed,” he added.
The ADC further called on Yakubu to decline the appointment, stating that doing so would safeguard INEC’s credibility, protect the integrity of future elections, and preserve his own legacy. “Failing to do so, we call on the Senate to reject his nomination in the interest of our democracy,” the statement said.
Yakubu is part of a batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees recently forwarded to the Senate for screening and confirmation. Other nominees include former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode and former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The presidency has said the nominees are being considered for both career and non-career ambassadorial postings, with appointments confirmed only after Senate approval.
Professor Yakubu served as INEC chairman from 2015 to 2025, having been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari. His tenure saw the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System for voter verification and the Results Viewing Portal to allow instant public access to polling unit results. He also institutionalised continuous registration and updates of voter records, departing from the previous practice of registration only before elections.
The ADC described the ambassadorial list generally as “a settlement list of political IOUs,” adding that it raises serious ethical questions about the independence of Nigeria’s electoral system.
The party urged civil society organisations and democratic institutions to reject appointments that could undermine public confidence in electoral governance.
