INEC Reacts To News Of Mahmood Yakubu’s Death

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to reports stating that INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu died at a hospital in London.

In a statement sent to Track News Online by the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman INEC, Rotimi Oyekanmi stated that the story first emerged on Monday, December 9, 2024, and appealed to the public to disregard the rumor. He emphasized that the story is completely false and has no basis in reality. He also noted that this is not the first time such a fake story has been circulated, as a similar rumor emerged in 2021.

He assured that Prof. Yakubu is alive and in good health, having not traveled to London in the past two years. He also mentioned that Prof. Yakubu had attended several events, including an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters and a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners, which were widely covered in the media. He emphasized the importance of verifying information before sharing it, especially on social media, to prevent the spread of misinformation and its potential harm to individuals and society.

He partly wrote, “We hereby appeal to the public to disregard the rumour. Prof. Yakubu is alive, hale and hearty. In fact, he has not travelled to London in the last two years. He was present at an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on Wednesday, 11th December 2024. He also chaired the Commission’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on Thursday, 12th December 2024. Both events were widely covered on television and reported on the front pages of most newspapers yesterday, Friday 13th December 2024.”