President Bola Tinubu has reappointed Dr. Bala Bila as a National Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while nominating six new candidates to fill vacant positions within the electoral commission.
The nominations comprise four National Commissioners and two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), designated to succeed officials whose terms have elapsed.
According to a Friday statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, the nominees will be forwarded to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
The announcement specified that Professor Mustapha Aliu has been nominated to succeed Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the National Commissioner representing the Northwest, whereas Bashir Muhammad Umar has been tapped to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu for the North-Central zone.
Furthermore, President Tinubu nominated Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola—currently serving as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State—to take over as the National Commissioner for the South-West, succeeding Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure concludes on October 24.
Additionally, the President appointed retired permanent secretary Dr. Samuel Akinjide Akinleye as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State and nominated Zahradden Basiru Sanusi from Jigawa State to succeed Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.
President Tinubu appointed retired permanent secretary Dr. Samuel Akinjide Akinleye as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, and nominated Zahradden Basiru Sanusi from Jigawa State to succeed Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.
The statement noted that these appointments were made to fill vacancies created by the expiration of incumbent commissioners’ terms.
With the general elections scheduled for January of next year, Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation proceedings.
The President further emphasized the critical importance of filling these vacant positions prior to the polls.
These nominations will take effect pending review and confirmation by the Senate.
Backstory…
The nominations come as Nigeria’s electoral commission prepares for the 2027 general elections, with the expiration of serving officials’ tenures creating vacancies that need to be filled before the polls.
According to the Presidency, the appointments are intended to fill those positions, rather than being a wholesale change in INEC’s leadership. The State House said the Senate will scrutinise the nominees before their appointments are finalised.
The development also comes amid wider debates over electoral transparency and the rules that will govern the next general elections. In February 2026, Nigeria’s Senate reversed its earlier position and backed real-time electronic transmission of election results following public criticism and protests.
Read Also: ‘Network Failure May Affect E-Transmission’ – Akpabio Voices Concern
