President Bola Tinubu is said to be at the junction of where different parts meet as the tenure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ends next month.

According to a report, the president was said to be considering someone from the southwest, but other factors have set in for the president to consider in choosing the next chairman of INEC

The question of who will be Yakubu’s successor has become of interest to many Nigerians.

As a matter of fact, the southwest and north-central are the only two regions that have not produced an electoral chairman since the inception of the body in 1966

Yakubu was first appointed by the late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020 and was reappointed in 2025, making him the longest-serving chairman of the electoral body.

How to appoint next INEC chairman
According to Daily Trust, Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stated that the president shall appoint the chairman of INEC, and the appointee would be subjected to Senate confirmation.

Furthermore, paragraph 14 of Part I of the Third Schedule explained that anyone who will be INEC chairman must be someone “of unquestionable integrity” and at least 50 years old.

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President Tinubu has been said to be keeping his choice to himself, and sources have reportedly advised him to reconsider and review options so that the number of those who would be screened for the position would be increased.

Some sources disclosed that Tinubu initially preferred a particular candidate from the southwest for the position before the advent of other factors, which left the president with no choice but to include other people from other geopolitical zones.

Project names of the next INEC chairman
However, the report has listed five prominent Nigerians whom President Tinubu may appoint as the next INEC chairman.

Below is the list of the possible nominees:
1. A judge of the Court of Appeal, Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman.
2. Lai Olurode, a former INEC national commissioner and retired professor at the University of Lagos.
3. Kenneth Ukeagu, a former director of procurement of INEC.
4. Sam Olumekun, the current INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education.
5. Professor Bashiru Olamilekan

Who is Professor Bashiru Olamilekan
However, the last person mentioned in the report, Professor Bashiru Olamilekan, has earlier been debunked. He was earlier rumoured in April 2025 to have been appointed as the new INEC chairman.

A fact-check report by Reuters debunked the claim and could not trace the name to any individual. Also, an opinion by Farooq Kperogi, a political commentator, in an opinion on The Tribune, summed up the Reuters’ fact-check about Professor Olamilekan as “simply doesn’t exist.”

Meanwhile, since the establishment of the electoral body in 1966, only the southwest and the north-central have not produced a chairman of INEC.

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As Siminalayi Fubara, the suspended Governor of Rivers State, returns to the government house after a six-month suspension, mounting evidence suggests that he is poised to dismiss all appointees associated with the Sole Administrators.

These individuals were primarily appointed under the influence of President Bola Tinubu and  Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Click link to continue reading.

This potential shake-up could signal the onset of a renewed political struggle within the state, as Fubara seeks to reassert his authority and reshape the administration to align more closely with his vision and goals. The ramifications of these actions are likely to resonate throughout the political landscape of Rivers State, stirring tensions and possibly igniting conflicts among various factions.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to sack all the appointees of the Sole Administrators in the past six months.

The Governor returned to the Rivers State Government House on Friday after his six months of widely condemned suspension by President Bola Tinubu.

While Fubara’s suspension met a wide range of condemnations, it still lasted for the six-month period as declared by the President with the Governor returning on Friday, a day after the Sole administrator left the Government House.

During this period of six months, Ibok-Ette Ibas made some appointments which Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party, nPDP, said Governor Fubara must not work with.

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Eze said he “expects the Governor to sack all the appointees of the illegal Sole Administrators and ensure that nobody imposes anybody on him as his Commissioner or aide even as Nyesom Wike have promised not to act in such a devilish act of imposing anybody on him..

“And for peace to reign, all members of the State Assembly that either resigned or worked with Sim Fubara must be reabsorbed by the State Assembly.”

Eze also called on Tinubu to reassure Fubara that he will be protected.

The Governor must be assured that he is not set up for further embarrassment by the funny members of the State Assembly through any impeachment move.

He said failure to do this, the Governor should invoke his full powers as the Executive Governor of the State

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As Nigeria approaches its upcoming presidential election, the political  atmosphere is becoming increasingly charged, particularly for incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This election presents a significant opportunity for meaningful dialogue and debate, as several prominent political figures are stepping forward to challenge Tinubu’s presidency, potentially enriching the democratic process.

Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, September 19, declared that President Bola Tinubu will again emerge victorious in the next presidential poll.

Legit.ng reports that in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Omokri, a prominent social media personality, described President Tinubu as “the master of the game” amid a visit to Kaduna state on Friday, September, 19.

Legit.ng reports that Tinubu attended the wedding ceremony between Nasirudeen Yari and Safiyya Shehu Idris during the visit. Nasirudeen is the son of the senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Yari.

President Tinubu also paid a courtesy visit to Aisha, the widow of the late former president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, at the family residence in Kaduna.

At Senator Yari’s son’s wedding, President Tinubu met one of his fiercest critics, Sule Lamido. Citing a trending video of both men exchanging pleasantries, Omokri noted that President Tinubu “interacted with his political enemies as though they were friends.” Omokri wrote: “In Kaduna, President Tinubu showed why he is the master of the game who will win again in 2027.

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“During his ongoing Kaduna trip, President Tinubu again displayed the qualities that will ensure he wins the 2027 elections. He interacted with his political enemies as though they were friends. He smiled with those who piled insults on him. He played with others who sprayed unprintable words at him. Took selfies with people who called him selfish.

“The man is a master of the game. He kills his opponents with kindness and overwhelms his foes with prose that deepens their woes.”

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 election, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has revealed that he is open to returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC) if given clear terms.

Kwankwaso has made it clear that his demand must be met otherwise, there is no need to defect to the ruling party.

He said he and his supporters played a key role in the formation of the APC, facing pressure from security agencies and anti-graft bodies during the process.…click link for full details

The atmosphere in River State has significantly stabilized after President Bola Tinubu lifted the six-month state of emergency that had been in effect.

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has revealed what the governor of Rivers state, Sim Fubara should  do to have a second term in office.

This is coming after speculations going around suggest the governor may not be allowed to go for a second term in office due to the crisis he had with his predecessor.…click link for full details here

Some also claim part of the agreement for him to return to power was to forget about a second term in office.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele revealed that Fubara can still have a second term in office if he seeks the face of God and stays loyal to Wike.

He also noted that part of his loyalty to Wike would include technically ceding the position of the deputy governor to the assembly speaker, as his chosen deputy would be a figurehead.

“Fubara can still get a second term if he seeks the face of God and is obedient to his principal, Nyesom Wike. He should also note that his acting deputy governor would be the speaker of the state, his chosen deputy would be more of a figurehead.”

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He also noted that the state won’t be totally peaceful and that some of Fubara’s allies will cause a crisis because they will be angry with him. He mentioned that the fight between Wike and Fubara isn’t over, as the latter would be used to check the FCT minister.

“Rivers state won’t be fully peaceful because of the indecision of Fubara; he won’t be taken seriously anymore, and some of his allies will be angry with him. Fubara and Wike will still fight; it’s not yet over, and the governor will be used to check Wike politically.”

Furthermore, he commended the president for saving the state from calamity.

“Tinubu saved River State from calamity and bloodbath because without it, the state would have been forgotten. Several things would have happened in the state, but the state of emergency cautioned everyone.”

In light of recent political tensions in Rivers State, which have generated significant concern among residents, the lifting of a six-month emergency rule in the region has not resulted in the resumption of activities by the suspended governor.

Complicating matters further is the unexplained absence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, prompting speculation regarding his whereabouts. However, contrary to public perception, the date for the governor’s return has now been disclosed. Click to continue reading.

The recent political developments have generated considerable anticipation among the public, particularly in Port Harcourt, where thousands of dedicated supporters congregated outside the Government House by 6 a.m. on Thursday. These individuals gathered in hopes of witnessing the governor’s return, celebrating his reinstatement following the conclusion of the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu. However, as the hours progressed without any sign of the governor, the crowd’s initial enthusiasm began to diminish.

By midday, the energy of the assembly had notably waned. Despite the governor’s reinstatement, which was officially declared by the President the previous Wednesday, he had not yet made an appearance. Gradually, many supporters departed, their morale dampened by this continued absence.

Among the steadfast supporters were several sacked local government chairpersons, including Chijoke Ihunwo from Obio/Akpor and Ezebunwo Itche-Mati from Port Harcourt City. Notably absent were allies of former Governor Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, along with the newly elected local government chairpersons perceived to be aligned with him.

The governor’s absence follows a significant announcement by President Tinubu, which lifted the emergency rule in Rivers State that had led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Nma Odu, and the members of the House of Assembly. During this turbulent period, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) had been appointed as the sole administrator.

A confidential source within the governor’s camp has indicated that he is expected to resume duties on Monday and is making arrangements to address the state and communicate his vision for improved governance to his supporters.

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Simultaneously, the legislative arm of the state resumed its operations on Thursday at the conference hall of the legislative quarters, with Speaker Martins Amaewhule presiding over the proceedings. The lawmakers wasted no time in initiating an inquiry into the state’s financial management during Ibas’s administration and urged Governor Fubara to submit a list of nominees for commissioner positions for legislative scrutiny. The political climate in Rivers State remains tense, with uncertainty continuing to pervade the atmosphere.