The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to make the process of selecting the next chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) transparent and publicly available.
The current INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, will complete his ten-year tenure in November 2025 after serving two consecutive five-year terms. His successor will be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, with the process under close scrutiny by the public.
In a letter dated September 27, 2025, signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, the Deputy Director of SERAP, the organization requested clarity on how the selection of the new chairman will unfold. The group is demanding that the President publicly disclose the number and names of candidates being considered for the position, as well as whether the Council of State has been consulted or will be consulted, as required by the Nigerian Constitution.
“The selection and appointment process for the next INEC Chairman should not be a closed-door affair,” SERAP stated.
The organization emphasized that a transparent and accountable process would serve the legitimate public interest and would ensure the new chairman’s ability to function impartially. The group also expressed concern about President Tinubu’s past appointment of several alleged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and urged him to reconsider such appointments in favour of non-partisan candidates.
Section 154(1) of the Nigerian Constitution mandates that the INEC chairman be appointed by the President with Senate confirmation, and that the Council of State be consulted. SERAP’s call for a clear, transparent process aligns with the constitutional principles designed to uphold the integrity and independence of the electoral body.
According to SERAP, the lack of transparency in the appointment process would undermine INEC’s ability to carry out its constitutional responsibilities in an independent and impartial manner. “A lack of openness will erode public trust in INEC’s independence and impair citizens’ participation in the electoral process,” the group warned.
The organization argued that secrecy surrounding such an important appointment could compromise the country’s human rights obligations and its commitment to free and fair elections.
The upcoming appointment is particularly significant given the close proximity to the 2027 general elections. Professor Yakubu’s tenure has drawn mixed reviews, with his leadership praised for logistical improvements but criticized for challenges with technology deployment and the transmission of election results.
SERAP has given the Nigerian government a seven-day ultimatum to comply with its request, or the organization will seek legal action in the public interest.
