₦airaland Forum

Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) organised free and fair elections, President Bola Tinubu has said.

The president said this in his official response to the exit of Yakubu.

Daily Trust had reported how the former INEC Chairman handed over to the most senior national commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, earlier on Tuesday.

Yakubu had asked his former colleagues to cooperate with Agbamuche-Mbu.

Reacting through a statement which Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, issued on his behalf, Tinubu said he accepted Yakubu’s departure following the expiration of his second term in office.

Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 as the 14th chairman of the commission for an initial term of five years. The appointment, which was renewed in 2020, has now expired due to the passage of time.

“President Tinubu thanked Professor Yakubu for his services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure.”

“In recognition of Yakubu’s dedicated service to the nation, President Tinubu has bestowed on him the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger(CON).”

On his part, Yakubu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the nation as chairman of the commission since 2015.

There have been mixed reactions to the elections which Yakubu conducted during his time in office. While some hailed him, others criticised the commission’s handling of election under his watch.

In a book he authored earlier this year, former President Olusegun Obasanjo scored Yakubu low.

“No wonder politicians do not put much confidence in election which the INEC of Professor Mahmood Yakubu polluted and grossly undermined to make a charade.”

“Most politicians believe in the will of the tribunal judges, court of appeal judges and Supreme Court judges. No matter what the will of the people may be, the Chairman of INEC since after the 2015 election had made his will greater and more important than the will of the people

Apcnewrecruit:
Until you do jail, you won't know the gravity of what you're saying

Apcnewrecruit:
When I told you that Tinubu doesn't support all these forgery, you people were throwing shades. Can't you see that Tinubu is an upright man?

Speaking at the meeting, David Mark, Chairman of the party, accused the political class of often putting in place a government that only serves them, promising the coalition, “must change this outdated pattern. We must model a new attitude to leadership across every sphere-public, private, and civic.”

The meeting later went into a closed door session.

Among those present at the event were David Mark, the National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, former Governor of Edo State, Osaheimen Osunbor.

Addressing members of the NWC, Mark said their mission is not “only to attain power in 2027; it is to leave a legacy which the future generations will be proud to inherit. We are in a marathon we must compete-and win. Failure is not an option.”

The party chairman said the National Working Committee has urgent tasks. “We must review our constitution to reflect the new order, develop a code of ethics, financing rules, and compliance systems. We must establish functional ward, local government, and state structures with trained organizers, digital registers, and service desks. We will build a leadership pipeline through a merit-based academy-policy, ethics, communications, and delivery.”

He further said, “We will receive reports from the Secretariat and zones and prepare for regular and off-cycle elections well in advance. And we will field only credible and viable candidates who meet the 4-pillar standard-Character, Competence, Courage, and Discipline.

“Nigeria and Nigerians-will accept nothing less. The political class has too often served itself. We must change this outdated pattern. We must model a new attitude to leadership across every sphere-public, private, and civic.

“Let it be said of the ADC that we kept faith with the people, that we were steady under pressure, honest in our dealings, and relentless in delivery. We do not seek power for its own sake; we seek it to build a legacy worthy of our children.”

Speaking on what the ADC will bring to the table, Mark a former President of the Senate said ADC will defend the separation of powers, restore legislative and judicial independence, and strengthen oversight so that budgets serve the public interest, not private appetites, saying “We will end the culture of parallel budgets and extra-budgetary maneuvers by enforcing strict and transparent planning, timely appropriations, and rigorous auditing.

“The judiciary must again be ah refuge for every citizen. We will back an independent, efficient, and trusted bench-appointments on merit, transparent case management, time-bound rulings, and a bias for justice over empty technicalities.

“Nigerians are tired of slogans and statistics that do not translate into their welfare: food, power, jobs, and safety. We will focus on what works. We will pursue price stability and productivity through credible, rules-based coordination of fiscal and monetary policy.

“We will deliver reliable power supply by expanding power generation, fixing transmission bottlenecks, and rewarding distribution performance.

“We will secure our food supply by supporting farmers and agricultural value chains from inputs and storage to processing and markets. We will back small businesses and industry with affordable, performance-tied credit and local content that creates jobs, not rent. And we will shine a bright light on every naira-no parallel budgets, no black-box spending, no sacred cows. Judge us by what Nigerians feel in their daily lives, rhetorics and bland statistics: lower volatility, more reliable power, visible projects, and decent work.

“Our foreign policy will be Pan-African-rooted in regional integration and international peace. We will champion trade within Africa, harmonize standards that open markets for Nigerian goods and services, leverage diaspora capital, and build coalitions that keep our sub-region stable and prosperous.

casualobserver:
Th case needs to be determined by the Supreme Court because one can equally argue that he is contesting after the new law.

Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has slammed Senator Adams Oshiomhole over comments against his principal.

DAILY POST reports that Oshiomhole while featuring on Channels TV at the weekend, claimed that Atiku “allowed himself to be consumed by politics”.

Ths lawmaker was reacting to a previous comment by Atiku Abubakar, who slammed President Bola Tinubu over his recent trip to Plateau State for the burial of the mother of All Progressives Congress APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.

According to Atiku, Tinubu has no empathy for Nigerians who are being killed across the nation by terrorists.

Addressing Atiku’s comment, Oshiomhole said, “I have sympathy for Atiku. He has allowed himself to be consumed by politics.”

Responding to the verbal attack on Atiku, Paul Ibe in a post on his official X handle on Tuesday said Oshiomhole is only afraid of the former VP.

He wrote, “I have sympathy for Oshiomhole. He is tailoring sycophancy with a designer touch and has allowed himself to be consumed by the hate and fear of @atiku.”

The Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election or any future presidential race in Nigeria.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining Jonathan from “presenting himself to any political party in Nigeria for nomination as its candidate” for the 2027 poll or any future election.

Jideobi also wants the court to bar the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate, and to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to ensure compliance with the court’s decision. INEC and the AGF are listed as the second and third defendants.

In his supporting affidavit, deposed to by one Emmanuel Agida, the plaintiff described himself as an “advocate of constitutionalism and the rule of law.” He argued that Jonathan, having completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and subsequently served a full four-year term after winning the 2011 election, had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms.

Jideobi said he filed the suit after reading reports in the media about Jonathan’s alleged plan to contest again in 2027. Citing Section 137(3) of the Constitution, he contended that allowing the former president to run would breach the supreme law of the land.

He recalled that Jonathan was sworn in on 6 May 2010 to complete the tenure of the late President Yar’Adua, who died on 5 May 2010. Jonathan was later elected in 2011 and sworn in on 27 May of that year, serving until 2015.

“I know that if the first defendant eventually wins the forthcoming 2027 general election as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria—which is for a term of four years spanning 2027 to 2031—he will have exceeded eight years being the cumulative maximum years a Nigerian President is to stay in office,” Jideobi said.

He maintained that the suit was filed in the public interest and prayed the court to declare that Jonathan “is ineligible to stand for or occupy the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” and that INEC lacks the constitutional power to accept or publish his name as a candidate in any presidential election.

He also sought an order directing the AGF to enforce any order the court may make in the matter. “It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this originating summons,” the affidavit reads.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

A similar case was filed in 2022 when Justice Isa Dashen of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state dismissed the suit for lacking merit, ruling that Jonathan was eligible to contest because Section 137(3) of the Constitution, which limits the tenure of anyone who completes another’s term, came into effect after Jonathan had left office. The judge held that the law could not apply retroactively to disqualify him.

That ruling effectively cleared the former president to contest, although he ultimately chose not to join the 2023 race.

Why Jonathan’s name keeps resurfacing ahead of 2027
Jonathan’s name has continued to feature in political circles amid speculation that some political blocs, particularly in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the coalition-led African Democratic Congress (ADC), have been considering him as a potential consensus candidate for the 2027 election.

Calls for his return have recently grown, particularly from the North, as coalition efforts to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 intensify. Several PDP leaders, including former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, have publicly urged him to run. At the weekend, former Information Minister Professor Jerry Gana went further, declaring that Jonathan would contest and defeat the ruling APC in 2027.

Penultimate week, Jonathan visited National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark at his Abuja residence. Mark, a former Senate president, served during Jonathan’s administration between 2010 and 2015. While the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, told Daily Trust the visit was private, observers believe it was tied to 2027 permutations, with the ADC said to be weighing Jonathan’s acceptability.

Jonathan, who lost his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, is believed to be showing renewed interest in politics. Though he has yet to declare formally, his appeal, according to insiders, lies in the constitutional term-limit provision that allows him to serve only one more term — a prospect viewed as a strategic option in balancing the power rotation debate between North and South.

The speculation about his return began in the buildup to the 2023 polls when some northern political leaders and interest groups were reported to have approached him to run under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, citing his perceived neutrality and national appeal. Although he distanced himself from the move at the time, his continued engagement in peace-building efforts and participation in governance reform dialogues have kept him in the national conversation.

Political analysts say the renewed legal challenge reflects both the lingering ambiguity surrounding the constitutional interpretation of presidential tenure and the strategic calculations of interest groups ahead of the 2027 contest.

stuffs2002:
ADC already behaving like OBIDIENTS.
They will become the laughing stock of Nigerian politics like the OBIDIENTS if they continue in this path

Apcnewrecruit:
We have a hardworking Tinubu with zero tolerance to external influence and corruption. Nobody is a sacred cow. Tinubu stands for Justice. Have efcc been petitioned?

ogolemati:
am not against you .but against the agbero chairman and agbero union that have brought this hardship upon the people

jmoore:
So we are still importing? But APC Tinubu government said portharcourt refinery is exporting petrol to Dubai.

lexy2014:
But I thought they say that yoruba people have respeCt and it is obi that does not have respeCt beCause he Called Ladoja "my brother"?

seunmsg:
Iyiola Omisore has paid his dues. I think this is finally his time. He will be a far better governor than the imbecilic dancer that is currently running the state.

seunmsg:
Those sponsoring this story from Enugu won’t let it die till the minister is brought down. Premium Times will keep publishing different version of the same story every other day. In this day and time, people seeking public offices really need to learn that forging certificates won’t go unnoticed. It’s just a matter of time before the truth is revealed.

Brendaniel:
That means you are saying that the Oba of Lagos is just a figure head?

fuckingAyaya:
How much Tinubu dey find before he departs this world, how how much gan gan?
Cracks money no do you
Lagos money no do you
Nigeria money no do you
Oil money no do you.
Rivers state money no still do
Abuja money no do you
All Taxes no do you
NURTW money no do you
Lekki toll gate money no do you
All loan borrowed no do you
National assembly padded budget no do you.

If you stand before God and he asked you now you are before him penniless what is the essence of acquiring all those ill gotten wealth what will be you reply ?

AmazingELixir:


You mean as Wike's progress, popularity and achievements keep haunting you and your ilks both in the conscious and dream state.

SonOfDSoil01:
even after this long epistle, you still ended up saying nothing. My last submission was to set the record straight and the trajectory of the success story of Lagos which you mischievous clowns have always used a blanket statement to describe Lagos development while we know Lagos as the former FCT which in local parlance is referred to as eko and the boundary ended at fadeyi in yaba.

Our ancestors were deliberate about the development of Lagos while yours were no where to be found. The development of Lagos started with the Yorubas and it has always been a trade centre which attracted migrants from all over and including foreigners. The colonial master saw Lagos as a good geographical location which was why it was largely developed by them and when the slave trade was abolished, most of the slave returnees which were largely Yorubas of various Yoruba sub group which my ancestors belonged to developed the place.

Lagos was far ahead of Nigeria and the development made it attractive which after the almagamation of Nigeria was then the choice of govt to be the FCT relaying on existing structures which was then further developed. Nigeria was not doing Lagos a Favor rather Lagos was doing Nigeria a Favor and we never asked for the FCT to be cited in our land.

The rest of the mainland today was under the western region govt and proceed of cocoa was used to set the foundation of the success story of Lagos no matter how hard you try to rewrite the history of Lagos and Yorubaland in alluding the success story to your 2*2 shops, it won’t fly.

You ibos started your mass migration to Lagos even after the FCT was relocated to Abuja and it also witnessed even more development even though nay sayers thought it will crumble nd that’s was because of the administrative skills and leadership of the Yorubas who have hold firm to the political and traditional structures.

Like I said earlier the safe and conducive environment provided by the Yorubas and also have the highest purchasing power to buy whatever you sell due to the high number of industries and other opportunities is what attracted you economic migrants to Lagos and the port you made reference to is just a delusional statement made my you clowns because the port is not just used by ibos but also manufacturing companies domiciled in Lagos and also most landlocked neighbouring countries bordering Lagos so you clowns you stop deluding yourself that you are responsible for most of the import at the Lagos port and there is not statistics to show you account for the highest import at Lagos port.

And finally if you clowns fill you are responsible for the thriving economy of Lagos, why not relocate your investment back to your region and let see who is actually benefiting from Lagos l

SonOfDSoil01:
a whole load of gibberish….most of you clowns re just ignorant about the history of Lagos and you all come online to display your ignorance. We have heard this tired lines severally.

Lagos has always been a trade centre and has always attracted migrants from all over the country and also foreigners. Lagos has the former FCT was largely developed by the colonial masters even before the discovery of oil. The FCT which you clown always love to lay claims to ended at fadeyi in yaba while the rest of what makes up Lagos today was under the western region govt and most of the infrastructure was developed by the late sage Awolowo including the ilupeju and ikeja industrial estate.

Lagos was far ahead of Nigeria. All the so called taxes you talked about came from the industries and PAYE and not your 2*2 shops scattered everywhere which are collected by the local govt and not state govt. Lagos attracted economic migrants from across the country base on the working system and opportunities in Lagos which was as a result of deliberate planning and development made by the government and people.

Even after the FCT was moved to Abuja and returned back to the Yorubas, was when most of you ibos started migrating to Lagos and you already met it developed and not a desolate place and you all benefited from the benevolence of the people because made gave you a Safe and conducive environment to do your business. No one forced you to come and pay taxes in Lagos while you can pay those taxes in your region so you can develop the place. After all you don’t expect govt to provide you infrastructure and other services for free while you make your money here doing business even in developed countries taxes are the major source of revenue so stop talking like you doing us a favour and btw below are major companies that pay then most taxes and not your petty trade business

LordBiden:
Nice one uncle wike.

Even with the distraction from every corner,he is still doing his best.