President Muhammadu Buhari has bowed to pressure from the outcry over his appointment of his relative Amina Zakari as acting Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commisson by appointing Professor Mahmud Yakubu in her stead.
Yakubu’s appointment, which comes as a permanent replacement for Professor Attahiru Jega, was confirmed by the Council of State at its emergency meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.
Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoko State Governor who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the appointment of the new INEC boss was in line with relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and in consultation with the Council of State.
He said Amina zakari, acting chairman of the Commission is now the INEC Commissioner representing the North-West.
Professor Yakubu’s nomination as INEC chairman would also have to be confirmed by a two-third majority of the Senate, the upper chambers of the National Assembly.
Yakubu is described as “a professor of political history and international studies, was Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund. He is an expert in guerrilla warfare, terrorism and counter-terrorism.”
Many had believed that President Buhari would appoint Mrs Amina Zakari as the substantive INEC chairman, a position she has held in acting capacity since June 2015 when Professor Jega completed his tenure. Zakari would have become the first woman to be appointed a substantive chairman of Nigeria’s topmost election body.
The appointment of Yakubu, a northerner to the INEC position, is likely to further fuel the notion that the Buhari government is on a northernisation agender, with most key non-ministerial positions announced so fr by the administrtion going to the North.
