By Ismaeel Aleem
May Agbamuche-Mbu assumed the role of Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, following the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s decade-long tenure.
As INEC’s longest-serving National Commissioner, her appointment represents a seamless transition amid ongoing electoral reforms.
Originally from Delta State but born and raised in Kano, Agbamuche-Mbu embodies Nigeria’s cultural diversity. She attended the prestigious St. Louis Secondary School in Kano, renowned for nurturing influential women leaders.
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Her academic journey is equally distinguished. She earned an LLB in Law from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1984, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985, and later qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
She further enhanced her legal expertise with an LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, as well as postgraduate qualifications in International Dispute Resolution and International Business Law.
These credentials have cemented her reputation as a formidable legal mind, particularly in alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Professionally, Agbamuche-Mbu brings over three decades of experience across the public and private sectors. She founded and led Norfolk Partners, a Lagos-based law firm offering corporate legal services and mentoring young solicitors.
Her record of public service includes her role as the sole legal expert on the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee (2010–2011) and her contribution to the Ministerial Committee for the Solid Minerals Sector Roadmap in 2016.
A certified arbitrator and former Secretary of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Nigeria Branch), she has mediated complex disputes with fairness and professionalism.
Within INEC, Agbamuche-Mbu has been a steadfast advocate for electoral integrity and technological innovation.
Her appointment as Acting Chairman, though temporary pending Senate confirmation of a substantive appointee, signals continuity in Yakubu’s digitalisation agenda—particularly the adoption of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
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Agbamuche-Mbu’s leadership comes at a critical moment, with off-cycle elections approaching and public attention fixed on transparency and accountability.
Her blend of legal expertise and public service ethos positions her to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and uphold fairness in an increasingly polarised political landscape.
