The Presidency has officially debunked widespread rumors suggesting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sacked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
On Monday afternoon, unverified reports flooded social media and some online platforms, alleging that the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu had been removed and replaced with one Bashiru Olamilekan. However, the Presidency swiftly refuted the claims, describing the story as fake news aimed at misleading the public.
Reacting via a statement, O’tega Ogra, the Senior Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Digital and New Media, urged Nigerians to disregard Professor Mahmood Yakubu sack rumour in its entirety. He emphasized that no such decision had been made by the President.
He further clarified that any official information regarding the status of INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu would come from recognized government channels, particularly the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) or other authorized sources.
“The public is advised to ignore false reports circulating online. Any official communication on matters such as this will be made known through the proper government channels,” Ogra stated.
CAVEAT: The Nigerian public should disregard any fake news making the rounds about the replacement of the INEC Chairman.
— O'tega Ogra (@otegaogra) April 7, 2025
Any such announcement will come from the SGF’s office or any other appropriate official source.
The statement comes as tensions simmer over Nigeria’s electoral processes, making clarity around the role and continuity of the INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu critical to national discourse.