Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Professor Mahmood Yakubu has left behind very unpleasant records and a complete erosion of public confidence, according to Associate Professor of Political Criminology at Cosmopolitan University, Dr. Suleiman Barnabas.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Saturday, Barnabas emphasised that Yakubu’s decade-long tenure would be remembered less for reforms like BVAS and IREV and more for the failure to deliver credible election results.
“But all this technology that he has brought into INEC, they have not delivered the desired outcome in terms of ensuring that votes count. You know, and that’s a major failure”
He accused the commission of repeatedly failing to follow its own guidelines, citing instances where results “manufactured by politicians” were announced despite INEC’s earlier position to void them. “One of the greatest undoings of Mahmood’s INEC is the fact that there is total, complete erosion of confidence in our electoral processes,” he said.
He argued that INEC officials disregarded due process by announcing results that undermined public trust in the electoral system “Unfortunately, in the night, those INEC commissioners and their representatives went ahead to announce results that were fictitious,” he said. “If INEC had simply followed its own rules, Nigerians would have trusted the process.”
Barnabas also argued that while political actors are often blamed for undermining elections, INEC under Yakubu became susceptible to manipulation and inconsistent in applying rules. He pointed to cases where candidates who did not participate in primaries were cleared to contest, while others were arbitrarily disqualified. “Institutions are only given meaning by the people,” Barnabas explained. “It is what those occupying those positions do that makes them truly independent or not.”
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Barnabas stressed that Yakubu’s successor must demonstrate not only competence and integrity but also courage to withstand political pressure. “If you are a professor with book, you are not a professor with courage, with integrity, with patriotism, we should do away with you,” he said. “We need someone who can resist intimidation, resist inducements, and obey the rules without compromise.”
On the debate over zoning, Barnabas dismissed suggestions that the appointment should be limited to Nigeria’s Southwest or North Central, the only zones yet to produce an INEC chair. For him, geography is secondary to character.
“Honestly, I do not think where the person comes from even matters. What matters is integrity and courage,” he said, though he noted that respected names such as Professor Shoromakeun from Osun State and Professor Joash from North Central have been mentioned.
He also asserted, Yakubu, despite resources and reforms at his disposal, failed Nigerians by allowing political influence to overshadow the commission’s independence. He urged the government to prioritise honesty, patriotism and courage in choosing Yakubu’s successor.
“We saw under Mahmood Yakubu that with all the money and technology available, the elections still failed.
“Until we have a man who fears God and has the courage to do the right thing, Nigerians will not trust INEC.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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