16 October 2026 4:35 pm WAT
- Reappoints Bala Bila, nominates two new resident electoral commissioners
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has nominated four new national commissioners and two resident electoral commissioners to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging the Senate to expedite their confirmation ahead of the January 2027 general elections.
The nominations, announced on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, are to fill vacancies arising from the expiration of the tenure of serving commissioners.
The Senate is expected to scrutinise the nominees before their confirmation.
Among the nominees is Professor Mustapha Aliu, who is to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the national commissioner representing the North-West, while Bashir Muhammed Umar will replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the North-Central representative.
Tinubu also nominated the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, as the new national commissioner representing the South-West. She will succeed Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure expires on October 24.
The President, however, reappointed Dr Bala Bila as the national commissioner representing the North-East.
For the resident electoral commissioner positions, Tinubu nominated retired permanent secretary, Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye, to represent Ekiti State, while Zahradden Basiru Sanusi, from Jigawa State, is to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.
The nominations come as INEC prepares for the 2027 general elections, with the presidential election scheduled for January, placing renewed attention on the composition and readiness of the electoral umpire.
Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process, citing the forthcoming elections as the reason for the urgency.
The nominations will take effect upon the completion of the Senate’s scrutiny and confirmation process.
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