EXCLUSIVE: Tinubu Replaces INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu With Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) Ahead Of Anambra Governorship Election

In a move that underscores growing political recalibration within the Presidency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the replacement of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, with legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan.

Multiple credible sources told Daily Trust that Prof. Amupitan’s nomination will be presented to the Council of State in Abuja on Thursday for formal confirmation. His immediate mandate, according to insiders, will be to steer the Commission ahead of the Anambra State Governorship Election slated for November 8, 2025.

Top-level sources within the Presidency revealed that Prof. Yakubu’s removal stemmed from two strategic concerns raised by the President’s inner circle.

First, the former INEC chairman was said to be working quietly towards registering several new political parties before the end of his tenure — a development that reportedly caused unease within the administration, which viewed the plan as potentially disruptive to existing political structures.

Secondly, key political advisers reportedly expressed doubts about Yakubu’s “reliability” in delivering what they described as “a credible but politically stable outcome” in the upcoming Anambra poll and future elections, particularly as preparations for the 2027 general elections begin to gather momentum.

Uzodinma’s Quiet Influence

Sources also confirmed that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma played a significant role in the discussions leading to Yakubu’s exit. After returning from an overseas trip, the governor was said to have met privately with President Tinubu, warning that Yakubu’s continued stay at the helm of the electoral body could “complicate” APC’s electoral strategy in the Southeast.

According to an aide familiar with the matter, Uzodinma alleged that the outgoing INEC chairman had been “working to position allies” in key states, including Imo, possibly through the registration of a new political platform.

Following internal consultations, President Tinubu reportedly directed Prof. Yakubu to proceed on terminal leave, effectively ending his tenure ahead of time. However, the public announcement of his removal was delayed after details of the planned change appeared in the media, allegedly through a leak traced to staff within the Commission.

On Tuesday, the President was said to have personally informed Prof. Yakubu of his replacement, indicating that Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) will assume office immediately upon Council of State confirmation.

A source within the Presidency explained that the move was partly to “give the incoming chairman sufficient time to stabilise and familiarise himself with the institution” before overseeing the November Anambra poll.

Before the official handover, Prof. Yakubu reportedly delegated his duties to Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the National Commissioner representing Delta, Cross River, and Edo States, who is currently serving as Acting Chairman of the Commission.

Political observers say the decision to replace Yakubu months before a key governorship election is one of the most consequential political developments since Tinubu assumed office. It signals, they argue, the President’s intent to maintain close oversight of Nigeria’s electoral machinery ahead of 2027 — a year many analysts expect to redefine the country’s democratic trajectory.