The youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has strongly faulted the wave of criticisms trailing the nomination of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, as an ambassador by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The group said the objections being raised against the former electoral chief are not only unfair but completely disconnected from national interest.
Recall that President Tinubu recently transmitted a 35-man ambassadorial list to the Senate for confirmation, with Prof Yakubu’s name among the nominees. His inclusion has drawn sharp reactions from certain quarters, with critics questioning the appropriateness of offering him another prominent public role shortly after completing his tenure as INEC Chairman. Many of those opposed to the nomination have argued that because Yakubu presided over the 2023 general elections that produced Tinubu as President, he is undeserving of further national appointments.
But responding on Tuesday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, dismissed the criticisms as misguided, politically motivated, and reflective of the refusal of some political actors to accept the outcome of the 2023 elections. In a strongly worded statement, Okwu stressed that the arguments being pushed against Yakubu’s nomination are fundamentally flawed and unfair to a man who, he said, served the country with distinction.
Okwu recalled that Ohanaeze youths had, both during and after the 2023 general elections, commended the reforms and processes introduced by INEC under Yakubu, noting that the former chairman oversaw an election cycle where many powerful incumbents, including sitting governors and members of the National Assembly, lost their re-election bids. According to him, this alone was a testament to Yakubu’s commitment to fairness and the credibility of the electoral process.
“No election anywhere in the world is 100 percent flawless, and we have repeatedly said this,” Okwu stated. “But Nigerians have not forgotten that under Prof Yakubu’s stewardship, sitting governors and National Assembly members lost their seats. That would not have been possible if the INEC leadership was working to favour any political interest. He introduced reforms that transformed the electoral environment, and it is now the responsibility of the new INEC leadership to build on those reforms rather than dismantle them.”
Okwu argued that it was disingenuous for anyone to suggest that simply because Yakubu conducted an election that produced the current President, he should be barred from serving the country in any capacity in the future. He described such reasoning as politically shortsighted and detrimental to national development.
“Does it mean that since he worked as INEC chairman and conducted an election that brought President Bola Tinubu into office, he should now retire from public life?” the Ohanaeze youth leader queried. “That argument is neither logical nor in the national interest. It has no basis in law, morality, or reason. Prof Yakubu is a citizen with full rights, and those rights cannot be suspended because he served his country.”
The group further reminded critics that before becoming INEC Chairman, Prof Yakubu had served meritoriously in various capacities, including as Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), where he also distinguished himself. Okwu said Yakubu’s long record of public service and his reputation for professionalism were the reasons successive governments entrusted him with sensitive national assignments.
“He has held other positions in the past and was not found wanting,” Okwu said. “His track record earned him the INEC chairmanship, and for 10 years he discharged that responsibility to the satisfaction of many Nigerians. It is irresponsible for anyone to attempt to erase that record for narrow political considerations.”
The Ohanaeze Youth Council expressed worry that some of the loudest voices opposing Yakubu’s nomination were individuals fixated on the 2023 elections and refusing to move on. According to Okwu, such persons are attempting to re-litigate the election through public sentiment, even after all legal processes have long been concluded.
He insisted that the campaign against Yakubu is driven not by patriotism but by bitterness, political bias, and parochial interests. He urged the Senate to ignore such distractions and proceed with the confirmation of the ambassadorial nominees without undue sentiment.
“We urge the Senate to go ahead and confirm Prof Yakubu,” Okwu declared. “The criticisms against him are neither sincere nor patriotic; they are rooted in personal grievances and political bias. Nigeria must stop destroying its best minds simply because some people were dissatisfied with the outcome of an election.”
He emphasized that national service should not be politicized to the point where experienced technocrats and administrators are demonized for performing their duties.
“Prof Yakubu served for a decade as INEC Chairman,” he said. “He did his job, he has completed his tenure, and he has moved on. Nigeria should also move on. Those criticizing his nomination are not acting in the interest of the nation.”
The Ohanaeze Youth Council concluded by reaffirming its support for the nomination and reiterating that the former INEC boss has every right to continue contributing to national development, just like any other qualified Nigerian.