By Abiola Olawale
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to unveil the details of the selection process for the next Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman.
With Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s decade-long tenure set to expire in November 2025, SERAP warned that opacity in the appointment of the next chairman could erode public trust and jeopardize the integrity of Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 general elections.
The group, in a strongly worded letter dated September 27, 2025, emphasised that the process must not devolve into a “closed shop.”
Signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the letter urged immediate disclosure of key elements, including the number and identities of shortlisted candidates, and confirmation of consultations with the Council of State as mandated by Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The letter reads in part: “The selection and appointment process for Mr Yakubu’s replacement cannot and should not be ‘a closed shop.’ A transparent and accountable process would serve legitimate public interests.
“There is a strong correlation between transparency in the selection and appointment process of the INEC chairman and the ability of the commission to perform its constitutional and statutory duties independently and impartially.
“INEC plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s democratic process. Openness and transparency in the selection and appointment process would improve public trust in the commission’s independence and impartiality and citizens’ participation in the electoral process.
“Transparency in the process would also ensure that competent and impartial people are appointed and reduce the risks of conflict of interest. It would allow Nigerians to scrutinise, monitor, and engage with the process.
“In electoral management, perception matters greatly. It is more important for the selection and appointment process to be objective and fair and to be seen to be objective and fair.”
