The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclaimed social media reports that its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has been sacked by President Bola Tinubu.
A viral WhatsApp message had indicated that Mahmood was sacked and replaced with one Prof. Olamilekan.
“INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has been replaced with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan by President Tinubu,” the message, which had no attribution, read.
In response to a message from the media, the Chief Press Secretary CPS to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, simply said: “Please, disregard. It is not true.”
Yakubu, who is rounding off his second tenure in office, is expected to exit the system towards the end of the year.
The process of appointing an INEC chairman is the President nominating a candidate and forwarding his particulars to the Department of State Services, DSS, for profiling.
After such screening, the President thereafter takes the name to the National Council of State for its advisory review. Based on the outcome, the President will send the name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
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The Presidency also debunked the widespread report claiming that President Tinubu has sacked Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra, described the news as false.
“The Nigerian public should disregard any fake news making the rounds about the replacement of the INEC Chairman.
“Any such announcement will come from the SGF’s office or any other appropriate official source,” Ogra wrote.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
