Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
The Senate has considered the request of President
Muhammadu Buhari to confirm the reappointment of Professor Mahmood
Yakubu as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC).
During the plenary on Wednesday at the upper chamber of the
National Assembly in Abuja, the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya
Abdullahi, urged the lawmakers to consider the request of the
President.
He informed his colleagues that the request was made in
accordance with the provision of Section 154(1) of the Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Thereafter, the lawmakers referred the President’s request to
the Senate Committee on INEC for further legislative action and to
report back on Tuesday next week.
READ ALSO: Yakubu Hands Over INEC Leadership,
Awaits Senate Confirmation For Reappointment
Similarly, Senator Abdullahi asked the lawmakers to consider
President Buhari’s request for the confirmation of the appointment
of Professor Abdullahi Zuru as INEC national commissioner.
He noted that Professor Zuru’s appointment was in line with
Paragraph 14 of part 1(F) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
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Again, the lawmakers referred the request to the Senate
Committee on INEC for further legislative action and to report back
on Tuesday next week.
The Presidency announced Professor Yakubu’s reappointment as
INEC chairman for another five-year term on October 27.
But his reappointment is subject to approval by members of the
upper chamber of the National Assembly.
On November 9, Professor Yakubu handed over the leadership of
INEC to Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Muazu who acts as the chairman,
following the completion of his first term.
He was first appointed by President Buhari to oversee the
activities of the electoral umpire in November 2015, six months
after the Nigerian leader assumed office.
Since the appointment of Professor Yakubu who took over from
Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC has conducted many elections,
including the 2019 polls which saw the President extending his stay
in office for another four years.