President Bola Tinubu has nominated four National Commissioners and two Resident Electoral Commissioners for appointment to the Independent National Electoral Commission to fill vacancies arising from the expiration of the tenures of some serving officials.
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The Presidency announced the nominations on Friday, October 16, 2026, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. All six nominees are subject to scrutiny and confirmation by the Senate.
Among the nominees is Professor Mustapha Aliu, who has been nominated to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the National Commissioner representing the North-West.
Bashir Muhammed Umar was nominated to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the National Commissioner representing the North-Central.
Tinubu also nominated the current INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, for elevation to the position of National Commissioner representing the South-West.
If confirmed by the Senate, Babalola will replace Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure is scheduled to expire on October 24, 2026.
The President also reappointed Dr Bala Bila as INEC National Commissioner representing the North-East.
For the Resident Electoral Commissioner positions, Tinubu nominated retired Permanent Secretary Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye to represent Ekiti State.
Zahradden Basiru Sanusi, from Jigawa State, was also nominated as a Resident Electoral Commissioner to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.
The appointments come as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections and as the tenures of some of the Commission’s National and Resident Electoral Commissioners come to an end.
The Presidency said the Senate would scrutinise the credentials of all the nominees before deciding whether to confirm their appointments.
Tinubu specifically urged the upper legislative chamber to expedite consideration of the nominations in view of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for January 2027.
The nominations would, if confirmed, bring changes to INEC’s top management structure ahead of the elections, including the movement of Babalola from her current position as Osun State REC to the Commission’s national headquarters as the South-West National Commissioner.
INEC is headed by Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, who assumed office as Chairman in October 2025 following Senate confirmation and his subsequent swearing-in at the State House.
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