… Yakubu Is Expected To Resume Immediately
…He Did A Good Job-Lawmakers
… It’s Well Deserved-IPAC
By John Nwokocha Abuja
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Professor Mahmood Yakubu as national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), nearly a week after President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for his confirmation was transmitted to the Senate. Yakubu’s confirmation is for a second and final term.
Some senators took turns to praise the president for reappointing the INEC boss and commended the nominee for a job well done in previous elections.
President Buhari had on October 27, made public his decision to reappoint Yakubu as INEC boss even though the letter to that effect was read at the Senate last week.
It would be recalled that Yakubu was first appointed INEC chairman in November 2015.
During his screening last week Yakubu had hinted of plans to acquire the required electoral materials early for successful elections ahead.
He is acclaimed to have recorded tremendous achievements in his first tenure in office through some reforms he initiated after taking over from Professor Attahiru Jega, who supervised the 2015 general elections.
Yakubu’s confirmation followed the presentation of the report of the Senate committee on INEC.
According to Senator Kabiru Gaya, chairman of the committee, “Mr Mahmood was found suitable for the position, with no petition or incriminatory report against him.
“The nominee displayed (a) high level of intelligence. “He is not affiliated to any political party and has never participated in any political campaign.
“The nominee also meets all the requirements for this position”.
We gathered that it was based on the stellar performance that Gaya urged the Senate to confirm Yakubu.
Reacting to the development, Dr Leonard Nzenwa, national chairman of IPAC, told The New Narrative newspaper that it is a good development.
He said every well meaning politician in the country should not be surprised by the confirmation. Nzenwa added that Yakubu did very well in his first tenure and deserves to be retained going by his track record, so that he can complete the fine work he has started. He said Yakubu has repositioned the INEC for improved performance. Nzenwa noted that now, you can’t talk about transparency, free and fair conducts of the country’s general elections by INEC without reference to Yakubu’s record.
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