BREAKING: Tinubu Orders INEC Boss Yakubu To Proceed On Leave Over ‘Betrayal’ — Uzodimma Fingered As Pressure Mounts, Ibori Allegedly Moves To Install Loyalist As Successor

Nigeria’s political terrain was thrown into fresh turbulence yesterday as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reportedly directed the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to proceed on leave ahead of the expiration of his tenure — a dramatic move insiders say was triggered by allegations of “betrayal” against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Highly placed sources disclosed that the decision followed a closed-door briefing at the Presidential Villa, where Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, accused Yakubu of working against APC interests by approving the registration of new political parties at the twilight of his tenure — a move Uzodimma claimed could complicate Tinubu’s path to a second term.

The governor further alleged that Yakubu had been secretly backing an opposition candidate in the just-concluded Imo governorship election, an accusation that reportedly infuriated the President.

Within hours of the meeting, Tinubu was said to have ordered Yakubu to suspend all official activities and proceed on terminal leave, effectively truncating his final weeks in office. The fallout has already disrupted INEC’s schedule, forcing the abrupt cancellation of Yakubu’s last quarterly consultative meeting with political parties, as well as a planned engagement with civil society organisations.

With Yakubu’s exit imminent, attention has shifted to who will succeed him as Nigeria’s chief electoral umpire. Tinubu is expected to forward a nominee to the National Assembly in the coming days.

But already, whispers of political scheming abound. SaharaReporters had earlier reported that convicted former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, is working frantically behind the scenes to impose his associate and kinsman, Moses Ogbe, as the next INEC Chairman.

Ibori, who retains considerable influence despite his corruption conviction in the United Kingdom, has allegedly been lobbying powerful political actors to secure Ogbe’s appointment. Critics warn that such a move could hand Ibori direct control of the 2027 elections, raising fresh fears of large-scale electoral fraud.

The former governor’s track record of political engineering remains undeniable. His daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, currently chairs the House Committee on NDDC, while his in-law, Chinedu Ebie, was appointed Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board.

Moses Ogbe’s Controversial Past

Ogbe, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) under Prof. Maurice Iwu, has long been associated with allegations of electoral manipulation. During his stint as REC in Lagos State in the 2003 polls, observers reported widespread irregularities under then-Governor Bola Tinubu’s watch.

Analysts fear that his possible emergence as INEC Chairman would mark a dangerous return to Nigeria’s darkest days of electoral fraud. His links to Prof. Iwu, the widely criticised umpire of Nigeria’s discredited 2007 general elections, only deepen those concerns.

Tinubu’s Circle of Familiar Faces

The development underscores President Tinubu’s pattern of surrounding himself with individuals he has either previously worked with or maintained political ties to. A notable example is the current Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who once served as Tinubu’s Chief Security Officer while he governed Lagos in 1999.

Observers say if history is anything to go by, Tinubu is likely to nominate someone with whom he has shared political or personal proximity — a move critics argue may compromise the independence of the electoral commission.

Meanwhile, INEC recently recognised new leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman and ex-Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, bringing closure to the party’s protracted leadership crisis.

As the nation watches closely, Yakubu’s sudden exit and the intense lobbying for his successor threaten to reshape Nigeria’s electoral future — and with 2027 looming, the stakes have never been higher.