The immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has acknowledged that technological advances have improved the conduct of elections in Nigeria over the past decade but warned they cannot eliminate the deeper flaws that continue to undermine the credibility of the country’s polls.
Yakubu made the remarks in the foreword to a newly released, 200‑page book published by INEC and titled Election Management in Nigeria: 2015–2025. A copy of the publication was obtained by New Daily Prime.
Describing the decade covered in the book as “one of the most momentous in the history of the management of elections in Nigeria,” Yakubu set out a measured assessment of the reforms, achievements and persistent problems his two‑term tenure (2015–2025) encountered.
“The decade between 2015–2025 has been one of the most momentous in the history of the management of elections in Nigeria,” he wrote. “There have been several milestones, many challenges and useful lessons in the conduct of elections and the management of the process within this period.”
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Technology, inclusivity, limits
The book chronicles key technological introductions under Yakubu’s stewardship, including the Bi‑Modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS), the INEC Voter Enrolment Device, the INEC Results Viewing portal, and efforts to expand voter access to polling units. It also highlights targeted policies designed to improve inclusivity for women, young people, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons.
Yet Yakubu was clear that technology is not a panacea. He conceded that technical problems, equipment failures and connectivity issues, have on occasion hindered the smooth conduct of elections. He noted that such issues, together with long‑standing problems, continue to pose a threat to the integrity of the electoral process.
“Additionally, technical challenges with equipment and connectivity failures have sometimes hindered the smooth conduct of elections,” he wrote.
Persistent challenges, reforms
Yakubu listed a range of systemic obstacles that have persisted despite reform efforts: multiple and conflicting litigations involving the commission, electoral violence including attacks on INEC facilities and personnel, vote‑trading, logistical failures that have led to postponements, and the burden of court orders from jurisdictions with concurrent authority.
In response, the commission, he said, intensified voter education, bolstered training for electoral officials and strengthened collaboration with security agencies to protect voters and staff. Policies were also developed to govern the deployment of electoral technology.
“As the commission looks to the future, the conduct of elections and the management of elections will continue to evolve and present fresh challenges. Such challenges will necessarily either require the consolidation of old, or the formulation of new reforms,” Yakubu wrote.
He stressed the importance of building public trust, expanding inclusivity and remaining ahead of potential threats to ensure the conduct of “free, fair, credible and inclusive elections”.
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Ten years in office: reforms, controversies
Yakubu was first appointed INEC chairman by former President Muhammadu Buhari on 21 October 2015 and confirmed by the Senate a week later. He became the first person to be reappointed to the role, receiving a second term in November 2020. Before joining INEC he served as Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and had a long academic career as a professor of political history and international studies.
His decade in charge saw both institutional reform and controversy. Yakubu oversaw the 2019 and 2023 general elections and numerous off‑cycle polls. The commission’s technological innovations were presented as efforts to improve transparency and credibility — but the 2023 elections attracted widespread criticism from political parties, civil society groups and sections of the public over logistical failures and alleged irregularities. The credibility of some results, notably the presidential outcome, was contested in court.
President Bola Tinubu, who took office in 2023, accepted Yakubu’s resignation and later conferred on him the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger in recognition of his service. The National Council of State has approved Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new INEC chairman, pending Senate screening and confirmation. Until then, Festus Okoye Agbamuche‑Mbu (acting chairman) will continue to oversee the commission’s affairs.
Reactions from parties: criticism, defence, caution
Yakubu’s reflections have prompted a flurry of responses from political parties.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) accused the former chairman of hypocrisy and failure. Ibrahim Abdullahi, PDP deputy national publicity secretary, demanded answers about the measures Yakubu took over his ten years to tackle the very threats he now outlines. “What serious measures did he take in 10 years of his stewardship to substantially address those threats?” Abdullahi asked, adding that Yakubu’s comments could be read as an admission of failure.
Mr Obiora Ifoh, the LP national publicity secretary, described Yakubu’s remarks as “self‑indicting”. Ifoh argued that Nigeria’s electoral problems stem not from technology but from corrupt officials who manipulate results for political ends. He alleged that a key technology director within INEC was removed months before the 2023 polls and replaced by someone he characterised as lacking the necessary expertise — a move Ifoh said enabled alleged manipulation.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi echoed concerns that human factors, not devices, determine electoral integrity. “Technology will be managed by human beings. At the end of the day, technology is only as good as the human being that manages it,” he said, urging scepticism towards any incoming INEC head until they prove their impartiality.
By contrast, the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s national secretary, Dipo Olayokun, defended INEC’s institutional role and placed greater blame on politicians. He urged the incoming chairman to pursue reforms that would make it harder for political actors to interfere with outcomes.
Looking ahead
Yakubu’s account seeks to present a balanced record: a decade of important reform and modernisation, yet one still constrained by legal, logistical and human failings. His closing admonition is clear — the success of future elections will depend as much on institutional vigilance, public trust and the integrity of officials as on the technology used to run the polls.
“Only in and through these,” he wrote, “can [the commission] ensure the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.”
