May Agbamuche has been appointed as the Acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Nigeria.
She took over the reins of the electoral body today from Prof Mahmood Yakubu at a brief ceremony in Abuja.
Agbamuche, a legal practitioner and a National Commissioner in INEC since at least 2022, assumed the interim leadership role today following the departure of Professor Yakubu, who began his terminal leave on October 7, 2025.
Yakubu announced the commencement of his terminal leave on Tuesday at the ongoing meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He solicited the support of the commissioners and directors of the commission for Agbamuche, until the appointment of a substantive chairman.
In November 2015, the then President Muhammadu Buhari nominated Yakubu as INEC Chairman. The appointment was confirmed by the Senate after screening. He was reappointed for a second term in October 2020.
Agbamuche-Mbu, as the most senior National Commissioner, is expected to hold the position until a substantive chairman is officially appointed.
Her legal career spans over three decades, with a wealth of experience in both the public and private sectors.
A native of Delta State, Agbamuche holds an LLB in Law from the University of Ife, now known as Obafemi Awolowo University, graduating in 1984.
She further expanded her expertise by attending the College of Law in London, where she qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1985.
She also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) with a specialization in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary and Westfield College, London.
Before her confirmation as an INEC National Commissioner in February 2022, Agbamuche had gained extensive public affairs experience, including serving on the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee from 2010 to 2011.
Throughout her tenure at INEC, she has played a significant role in electoral processes and reforms. Agbamuche previously chaired the Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee (LSC&CC) and has been an active participant in training sessions for political party officials.
Her work has also involved supervising various electoral activities, such as presenting voter registers to political parties. In her new capacity as Acting Chairman, she has been tasked with overseeing the commission’s operations during this transitional period.
