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L-R
Former Justice of the Federation, Justice Uwais, Former Head of Government,
Chief Eanest Shonekan, Former President, General Ibrahim Babangida, Speaker of
the House of the Representative’s Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Vice President, Prof Yemi
Osinbajo, President Muhammadu Buhari, Former Head of State, General Yakubu
Gowon, Former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar and others at the
National Council of State Meeting at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Wednesday (INSET: Prof Yakubu - New INEC Chairman/Image clip from TheCable)
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Mahmood Yakubu, a
professor of political history and international studies, is the new chairman
of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), subject to senate
confirmation. The
appointment of the former executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust
Fund was endorsed by the council of state at its meeting on Wednesday.
Briefing
state house correspondents at the end of the meeting, Aminu
Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state, said Buhari acted in line with
provisions of Sections 154 (1 and 3) and 156 (3) empowering him to appoint
a chairman and national commissioners of INEC, in consultation with the
council.
He
explained that the emergency meeting was convened to approve the
nominations.
TheCable
report continues:
“The
situation in INEC as at today is such that requires for this emergency meeting
to approve the nominations by Mr. President, because the law requires that a
minimum of four commissioners should form a quorum in INEC,” Tambuwal said.
“This
is not the case as today, because the tenures or 11 national commissioners of
INEC had expired. Obviously, the new chairman and members of the
commission will preside over the forthcoming elections.
“I
have said earlier on that we need a quorum for the commission to function and
that is why Mr. President in his wisdom summoned this emergency meeting for us
to approve these names so I’m sure it is the new chairman that will now
supervise and conduct the elections in Kogi and Bayelsa.”
Chaired
by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the council’s members includes all living
former presidents and heads of state, the senate president, the speaker of the
federal house of representatives, all living former chief justices of Nigeria
and all state governors.
In
attendance at Wednesday’s meeting were Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida,
Abdusalami Abubakar, and Ernest Shonekan. Shehu Shagari, Olusegun
Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Bukola Saraki were absent.
The
council also named five national commissioners as: Amina Zakari
(north-west), Anthonia Okoosi-Simbine (north-central), Baba Shettima Arfo
(north-east); Mohammed Mustafa Lecky (south-south) and Soyebi Adedeji Solomon
(south-west).
The
south-east, it was said, still has a sitting national commissioner.
An
expert in guerrilla warfare, terrorism and counter-terrorism, the new INEC
chairman has also taught war and society in pre-colonial Africa.
He
will take over from Zakari, who has been acting since Attahiru Jega completed
his tenure in June.
Buhari
had appointed Zakari in acting capacity on June 30, following the expiry of the
tenure of the then chairman, Attahiru Jega.
However,
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the appointment as unacceptable
and urged the president to fire her immediately.
Ayo
Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, claimed thereafter that Zakari is the
president’s in-law, and should never have been appointed to such sensitive
post.
The presidency dismissed
the opposition to Zakari’s appointment, though, insisting that her appointment
was based on merit.
5 Things To Know About New INEC Chairman,
Yakubu
Vanguard reports that President
Muhammadu Buhari has announced a professor of political history and
international studies, Mahmood Yakubu, as new chairman of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) read more. Read five things
about the newly appointed INEC boss.
Yakubu,
a professor of political history and international studies, was Executive
Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
He
is an expert in guerrilla warfare, terrorism and counter-terrorism.
He
was an Assistant Secretary, Finance and Administration, at the 2014 National
Conference under the Jonathan led administration.
Professor
Yakubu, is the first and only first class graduate of history from the North
till date,who was on secondment from the Nigeria Defense Academy where he was a
lecturer to the Federal Ministry of Education.
He was a member of the very
dynamic Oby Ezekwesili Educational Transformation Team which received plaudits
from Nigerians for their far reaching recommendations for the turn around of
the fortunes of education in Nigeria. 
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