According to a report by Punch on Saturday, September 27, 2025, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has firmly opposed reports suggesting that President Bola Tinubu ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to proceed on terminal leave.
According to Falana, the President does not have the constitutional authority to issue such a directive, as existing legal provisions guarantee INEC’s operational independence from executive control.
The controversy began after an unconfirmed report claimed that President Tinubu had directed Yakubu to begin compulsory leave ahead of the end of his tenure in October 2025.
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The move was allegedly in response to perceived disloyalty by the INEC boss during recent political developments.
The report further claimed that this directive disrupted INEC’s activities, resulting in the cancellation of planned meetings with political parties and civil society organisations.
While no official statement has been issued by the presidency, the rumour has sparked widespread reactions on social media.
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reinforced the claims online, stating that Yakubu’s exit was imminent.
However, former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, dismissed the report, describing it as likely misinformation circulating online.
Despite the ongoing speculation, Prof. Yakubu chaired INEC’s regular management meeting on Thursday and approved the promotion of junior staff members, suggesting that the commission’s internal operations remain unaffected.
INEC’s spokesperson, Rotimi Oyekanmi, urged the public to rely on constitutional provisions to understand the legal framework guiding the appointment and removal of the commission’s leadership.
The Constitution clearly states that while the President nominates the INEC Chairman, any removal must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Senate and must be based on evidence of incapacity or misconduct.
Also, INEC has the legal autonomy to regulate its own internal procedures without presidential interference.
Falana referenced a similar situation in 2015 when similar claims were made about the then INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, which later turned out to be false.
He maintained that the same constitutional protections apply in the current scenario.
“Unlike other federal executive bodies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, its powers to make its own rules or otherwise regulate its own procedure shall not be subject to the approval or control of the President. To that extent, President Bola Tinubu cannot direct the INEC chairman to proceed on terminal leave,” Falana said.
The situation continues to draw public attention, with legal experts and civil society observers calling for clarity to ensure that the independence of Nigeria’s electoral body is preserved amid rising political tensions.