As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, human rights advocate and legal practitioner Monday Ubani has urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint the next INEC Chairman from the South-South region.
The tenure of the current chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, is set to expire in October 2025, prompting discussions about his successor. Ubani emphasized the need for a credible, fair, and impartial individual to steer the electoral body through the next cycle.
Speaking on the importance of regional inclusion, Ubani argued that with the current president hailing from the South-West and the outgoing INEC chairman from the North-East, fairness demands that the next appointee come from the South-South or South-East. He noted that the South-South, in particular, has not had the opportunity to lead the commission in recent history, making it a logical choice.
“The appointment should reflect not only competence and integrity but also a commitment to balancing Nigeria’s regional interests,” Ubani stated. He listed key qualities expected from the new chairman: independence, high moral standards, and a strong sense of justice.
This recommendation comes amid mounting calls from opposition leaders for a change in INEC’s leadership, with some alleging that the current chair presided over a flawed 2023 election. Rotimi Amaechi, a former minister and presidential hopeful, is among those who have voiced concerns over the commission’s neutrality.
In a separate development, INEC has revealed that over 110 organizations have submitted applications seeking registration as political parties, signaling heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 elections. The commission pledged transparency, announcing that the list of aspiring parties would be made public in due course.
