History beckons as INEC chair Yakubu waits on Senate for fresh term

History is about being made as Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, looks set for another tenure.

This followed his nomination Tuesday for a fresh term by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 In a letter to Senate President Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, the president said the nomination was in accordance with the provision of Section 154 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate, the nomination of Professor Mahmood Yakubu for appointment as Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a second and final term,” he said.

The Professor of History was first appointed by President in November 2015.

He came on board following the expiration of the tenure of his predecessor in office, Professor Attahiru Jega.

History

A quick run through the list of the chairmen of the nation’s electoral bodies since 1958 under different names revealed that Yakubu, consequent upon his clearance by the Senate, would become the first person to have occupied that office for two consecutive tenures.

The administration of democratic elections in Nigeria dates back to the period before Independence when the Electoral Commission of Nigeria (ECN) was inaugurated in 1958 to conduct the 1959 federal elections. The ECN was headed by an expatriate, Ronald Edward Wraith and four Nigerian members representing each region and the then Federal Capital Territory of Lagos.

Thereafter, the Federal Electoral Commission (FEC) with Kofo Abayomi as the Chief Electoral Officer came on aboard in 1960 and conducted the immediate post-independence federal and regional elections of 1964 and 1965.

Following the military coup of 1966, FEC was dissolved and  in its place the  Federal Electoral Commission(FEDECO) was constituted by the regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo with Michael Ani first as the head and   Justice Ovie Whiskey coming later as successor.  While Ani conducted the 1979 election which produced President Shehu Shagari, Whiskey was in charge of the election that saw Shagari’s re-election in 1983.

With the sack of President Shehu Shagari by the Muhammadu Buhari-led military regime in 1983, FEDECO was rested and another body-National Electoral Commission (NEC)- was created by the regime of Ibrahim Babangida which overthrew Buhari in 1985.

National Electoral Commission of Nigeria was headed by Professor Eme Awa (1987–1989), Professor Humphrey Nwosu (1989–1993), Professor Okon Uya and Chief Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994–1998).

With the establishment of the current INEC by Abdulsalami Abubakar who came on board after Sani Abacha’s death, Justice Ephraim Akpata  was named the chairman.

Upon his death, in January 2000,  elected president,  Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Abel Guobadia,  who was succeeded in 2005  Professor Maurice Iwu.

And precisely, June 8, 2010, Professor Jega came on board and vacated the office on the expiration of his term in April 28, 2010.

About Abdullahi M. Gulloma and Abdulrahman A. Abdulrauf

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