2023: INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu Opens Up About Joining Presidential Race

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu has dismissed claims that he’s planning to join the 2023 presidential race.

Mahmood Yakubu Denies Joining Presidential Race

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi described the call for Yakubu to join the presidential election as preposterous, saying he would never do so.

Oyekanmi noted that Yakubu remains an umpire in the electoral process of the federation, adding that the INEC chairman will not delve into matters at variance with the law, morals, and principles.

The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to innuendos in certain quarters that Nigerians should not be surprised if the INEC chairman joins the presidential race or urging him to do so. It is a preposterous proposition. It will not happen.

“The chairman remains an umpire committed to free, fair and credible elections.

“His constitutional responsibilities as the chief electoral commissioner the federation and returning officer for the presidential election are onerous for him to comtemplate straying into extraneous matters at variance with the law, morality and his personal principles.

“The chairman will continue to discharge his duties without affection for, or illwill against, any political party or candidate.”

This comes after some groups had picked the N100 million nomination form for the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to contest the 2023 presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).