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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently reveal details of how his administration will select and appoint the successor to Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ends in November 2025.
The SERAP asked the president to publish the names and number of candidates for the position and to confirm whether the Council of State has been consulted or will be consulted, as required by the Constitution.
The organisation made this demand in a letter signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, which Channels Television obtained on Sunday, September 28.
In the letter dated September 27, SERAP urged Tinubu to use the appointment as an opportunity to review his previous nominations of at least three alleged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and instead appoint individuals without political party affiliations.
The SERAP emphasised that the selection process for Yakubu’s successor must not remain secretive. The group argued that a transparent and accountable process would serve the public interest and strengthen democracy.
“There is a strong link between transparency in appointing the INEC chairman and the Commission’s ability to carry out its constitutional duties independently and impartially,” the letter stated.
The organisation further explained that INEC plays a vital role in Nigeria’s democracy, and openness in the appointment process would boost public confidence in the Commission’s neutrality while encouraging greater civic participation.
It added that transparency would help ensure that only competent and impartial individuals are appointed, reduce conflicts of interest, and allow citizens to scrutinise and engage with the process.
“In electoral management, perception is crucial. The selection and appointment must not only be objective and fair but also be seen to be so,” the letter concluded.
Professor Yakubu will leave office in November after completing two five-year terms, and President Tinubu is expected to appoint his successor subject to Senate approval.
