The African Democratic Congress has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, as an ambassador, describing the decision as “embarrassingly insensitive” and damaging to public confidence in the nation’s electoral system.
In a statement released on Sunday, the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the nomination raises serious concerns, especially coming less than two years after Yakubu supervised what he described as a “deeply contentious election” that produced the current administration. Abdullahi argued that offering such a high-profile appointment so soon after Yakubu’s tenure undermines the perception of INEC’s independence.
He warned that appointments of this nature risk creating an unhealthy incentive structure, where electoral officials may feel pressured to act in ways that please those in power in hopes of receiving political rewards.
According to him, “This appointment blurs the necessary separation between those who contest elections and those empowered to officiate them. If this stands, future INEC chairmen and commissioners may begin to see their positions as stepping stones to political compensation. That mindset destroys neutrality and turns elections into transactions.”
Abdullahi also noted that a review of the broader list of 32 ambassadorial nominees showed that most fall into three categories: former diplomats, political allies and their relatives, and members of the ruling party. He questioned which category Yakubu fits into, saying the implications are “deeply unsettling.”
The ADC called on civil society groups, democratic institutions and the general public to resist developments that weaken electoral credibility. Abdullahi urged Yakubu to decline the nomination in order to protect INEC’s institutional integrity and preserve his own legacy. Failing that, he appealed to the Senate to reject the nomination.
Yakubu, who served as INEC chairman from 2015 to 2025, is among a batch of nominees submitted to the Senate on Saturday. Others include former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode and ex-Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The presidency has said the nominees are being considered for both career and non-career diplomatic postings.
During his decade at INEC, Yakubu introduced reforms such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, the Results Viewing Portal, and continuous voter registration, initiatives aimed at improving transparency and voter participation.
