Abuja, Nigeria – May 30, 2025
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially sworn in six new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to fill existing vacancies across the country. The ceremony, held at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja, was described by Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as a “critical step toward strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.”
The swearing-in was attended by National Commissioners, the Hon. Secretary to the Commission, Directors, and family members of the appointees.
Prof. Yakubu emphasized the significance of the RECs’ new roles, describing election management as a “sacred duty” and urging the appointees to uphold professionalism, transparency, and legality in their operations. “Your appointment is a full-time and not part-time responsibility. You must provide leadership and exercise effective supervision,” he stated.
The six RECs include two reappointed commissioners—Dr. Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem and Mukhtar Umar Gajiram—who are beginning their second terms, and four new appointees:
• Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris and Mrs. Feyijimi Saseyi Ibiyemi, both former INEC staff
• Chukwuemeka Christopher Ibeziako, a legal practitioner
• Umar Yusuf Garba, an experienced private sector administrator
To promote neutrality and reduce conflicts of interest, the new RECs have been deployed to states outside their geopolitical origins, in line with INEC policy. The new postings are as follows:
• Dr. Sa’ad Umar – Gombe State
• Dr. Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem – Cross River State
• Mrs. Feyijimi Ibiyemi – Ogun State
• Mukhtar Umar Gajiram – Taraba State
• Chukwuemeka C. Ibeziako – Abia State
• Umar Yusuf Garba – Sokoto State
In a related development, Prof. Yakubu also announced the timetable for the 2026 off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. The Ekiti election will hold on June 20, 2026, with party primaries scheduled between October 20 and November 10, 2025. The Osun election is slated for August 8, 2026, with primaries taking place from November 24 to December 15, 2025.
The appointments and updated electoral calendar underscore INEC’s ongoing efforts to ensure credible, inclusive, and transparent elections across Nigeria.
