₦airaland Forum

by Malik Abdulganiy


https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mahmood-yakubu-768x511.jpg Yakubu receiving a gift during a send-forth dinner in June 2025

An unpublicised send-forth dinner was held in honour of Mahmood Yakubu, professor of history and chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at the Continental Hotel in Abuja on June 15, TheCable can report.

This was in preparation for his disengagement as the country’s top electoral chief after serving an unprecedented two terms in office.

Yakubu had also cleared his desk and was preparing to hand over to one of the senior national commissioners so that he could proceed on a three-month terminal leave in July.

However, in his search for a successor, President Bola Tinubu directed Yakubu to serve out his full term, presidential sources told TheCable.

Yakubu was appointed in October 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari and he assumed office on November 9.

He was re-appointed for another term of five years in 2020.

The tenure of an INEC chairman is a maximum of two terms.


https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mahmood-yakubu-prog.jpg Programme of the send-forth party held in June


Ahead of his disengagement, Yakubu prepared his handover notes and informed his friends and associates of his imminent exit.

A small group of his close aides and allies thereafter hosted him to a send-forth dinner held at the Continental Hotel in Abuja on June 15.

His decision to leave early, according to an associate who spoke to TheCable, was to pave the way for Tinubu to appoint a successor in good time before the activities for 2027 election heat up.

The Anambra governorship election will hold on November 8 and Yakubu’s tenure ends the following day when some of the results from the polling units will still be awaited.

“For weeks around May-June, his staff piled out heaps of suitcases containing his personal effect, including books and newspapers. He literally emptied the office,” said an INEC official who said he witnessed the movements.

But while Yakubu was prepared to leave, Tinubu urged him to “hang on” as he was still searching for a suitable replacement, sources told TheCable.

A senior INEC official told TheCable that while the president was contemplating the succession, the chairman made repeated attempts to leave without waiting for a substantive replacement.

TheCable learnt that about a month ago, Yakubu wanted to hand over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, one of the most senior national commissioners.

He was, however, advised to remain afoot to avoid complications.

A similar scenario played out in July 2015 when the tenure of Attahiru Jega, a professor of political science and Yakubu’s successor, ended.

Jega handed over to Amina Zakari, one of the senior commissioners, but Buhari nominated Yakubu as the substantive chairman months later.

Zakari would have been the first female chair of the commission but she still made history as a pioneer in an acting position.

Had Yakubu handed over to Agbamuche-Mbu, she too would have made some history.

The bid to replace the INEC chairman has been a subject of rumours and intense lobbying in the power corridors for months.

https://www.thecable.ng/revealed-how-tinubu-delayed-inec-chairmans-exit-despite-secret-send-forth-dinner-in-june/

Nlfpmod

Tinubu is still consulting his voodoo chief and alfas to give him a name of someone that won't collect his billions and still organize a free and fair election which Tinubu does not want cos he doesn't stand a chance in a free, fair, credible election

This is a more believable sequence of events. It clearly shows that Sowore of Saharareporters has been lying about Tinubu trying to force an early exit of Yakubu.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has performed exceptionally well as INEC chairman. He will exit gracefully at the end of his tenure.

franchasng:
Tinubu is still consulting his voodoo chief and alfas to give him a name of someone that won't collect his billions and still organize a free and fair election which Tinubu does not want cos he doesn't stand a chance in a free, fair, credible election

Cry well well.

No human nor spirit can stop Tinubu's second term

franchasng:
Tinubu is still consulting his voodoo chief and alfas to give him a name of someone that won't collect his billions and still organize a free and fair election which Tinubu does not want cos he doesn't stand a chance in a free, fair, credible election

The juju man really did a good job on you guys, Lol. Not long ago, all of una dey here dey run una mouth like chochocho when the fake news Sahara Reporter said Tinubu had asked Yakubu to immediately vacate office. A few days later, Yakubu Mahmood chaired INEC weekly committee meeting and also approved the promotion of some junior staff contrary to the news on Sahara reporter and now, we have this revelation by the Cable that the President asked him not to hand over. Typical of wailers, you're trying to shift the goal post again and give another fabrication . This time, you're saying Tinubu is consulting alfa to give him a name. This is why we say hate & bitterness affect the brain cells. I advise you guys to stay one place so that thunder can go direct.

APCNig:
Cry well well.

No human nor spirit can stop Tinubu's second term

That voodoo/occultic power, Moslem alfas and politics of tribal division Tinubu is banking on to come back to office in 2027 will fail him.


God will prove him and all you lovers of evil wrong.

Na confirmed useless opposition we get for this country.

seunmsg:
This is a more believable sequence of events. It clearly shows that Sowore of Saharareporters has been lying about Tinubu trying to force an early exit of Yakubu.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has performed exceptionally well as INEC chairman. He will exit gracefully at the end of his tenure.

He had a glitch in his tenure though

The sequence of events fits your bias which makes it believable for you
I've never heard of a send forth held three months to the expiration of the tenure of an officer when everyone knows he'll be proceeding on leave then not leaving the office

Kukutente23:
He had a glitch in his tenure though

The sequence of events fits your bias which makes it believable for you
I've never heard of a send forth held three months to the expiration of the tenure of an officer when everyone knows he'll be proceeding on leave then not leaving the office

Are you minding these slow minds.

franchasng:
Tinubu is still consulting his voodoo chief and alfas to give him a name of someone that won't collect his billions and still organize a free and fair election which Tinubu does not want cos he doesn't stand a chance in a free, fair, credible election

After the election & Eyeneck declares President Tinubu the winner, Las las your weeping will be that the judiciary is corrupt.

Kukutente23:
He had a glitch in his tenure though

The sequence of events fits your bias which makes it believable for you
I've never heard of a send forth held three months to the expiration of the tenure of an officer when everyone knows he'll be proceeding on leave then not leaving the office

Tinubu say go on leave, the wailers complain, Tinubu say oya stay, the wailers will complain.

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t, after the general election in 2027 all said & done, they will still wail rigging, after they will run to the court, the court will say winner, they will cry judiciary’ is corrupt.

Putindbutt:
The juju man really did a good job on you guys, Lol. Not long ago, all of una dey here dey run una mouth like chochocho when the fake news Sahara Reporter said Tinubu had asked Yakubu to immediately vacate office. A few days later, Yakubu Mahmood chaired INEC weekly committee meeting and also approved the promotion of some junior staff contrary to the news on Sahara reporter and now, we have this revelation by the Cable that the President asked him not to hand over. Typical of wailers, you're trying to shift the goal post again and give another fabrication . This time, you're saying Tinubu is consulting alfa to give him a name. This is why we say hate & bitterness affect the brain cells. I advise you guys to stay one place so that thunder can go direct.

Always Igbo, why?

franchasng:
Tinubu is still consulting his voodoo chief and alfas to give him a name of someone that won't collect his billions and still organize a free and fair election which Tinubu does not want cos he doesn't stand a chance in a free, fair, credible election ;

Whether he’s consulting his Babalawo or Witchdoctors is not the bone of contention here. Our Motto is: “ANYBODY ELSE BUT OBI”.

It could be Atiku, Kwankwaso, Jonathan or even Sowore BUT NEVER OBI; since all of you are trying to to make Nigerians believe that Peter Obi is an Archangel Michael who just dropped from Heaven 3 days ago.

We know that Peter Obi is no different from any of these corrupt Politicians and that he benefited immensely from the rotten system, therefore he shall never smell Asorock.

Reno Omokri is really doing a great & wonderful job on Twitter exposing your Messiah for what he truly is, and I just sitback & retweet Reno’s Post all day.

Come 2027, all of you will know that elections are not won by gri-gri & gra-gra on Social Media.

The consequences of your corruption ridden tenure is gonna hunt you for life.