The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has called on the National Assembly to urgently pass proposed amendments to Nigeria’s electoral legal framework to ensure effective preparation ahead of the next general elections.
Yakubu made the appeal on Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Abuja during a meeting with the European Union (EU) Election Observation Follow-up Mission to Nigeria, led by Barry Andrews, who also headed the EU Mission during the 2023 General Election.
He stressed that early passage of the amended electoral law would prevent uncertainty and allow the commission to plan seamlessly. “Uncertainty over the legal framework for the election can unsettle the work of the commission as the election draws nearer,” he cautioned.
The INEC Chairman explained that the commission had reviewed all eight recommendations specifically directed to it in the EU Election Observation Mission’s (EU EOM) 2023 report. In comparison, he recalled that in 2019 the EU issued 30 recommendations, 11 of which concerned INEC, including three priority actions. The 2023 report, however, made 23 recommendations, with eight assigned to INEC—one of them a priority—while the remaining 15, including five priority recommendations, were directed at other institutions such as the executive, legislature, judiciary, political parties, and civil society.
Yakubu said the commission had already acted on recommendations requiring only administrative adjustments and was working with other agencies on cross-cutting reforms. For issues needing legislative action, INEC is awaiting the outcome of the National Assembly’s ongoing review. He further noted that INEC’s internal post-election review had produced 142 reform recommendations, many of which aligned with observer suggestions.
“As you are aware, an election is a process governed by law. Many of your recommendations require a review of our electoral legal framework,” Yakubu said, adding that INEC has been engaging the National Assembly, including participating in a retreat with the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.
He assured the EU delegation that INEC would maintain its partnership with observer groups, acknowledging that their contributions had improved Nigeria’s electoral processes.
In his remarks, Barry Andrews praised INEC’s progress in addressing the EU’s recommendations but noted that some reforms, particularly constitutional ones, remained complex and time-sensitive. “We are very happy to see that there has been significant progress in addressing these recommendations,” he said.
Andrews highlighted the mission’s focus on transparency in result publication during off-cycle governorship elections, one of the key recommendations from the 2023 report. He emphasized that Nigeria’s reform efforts contribute to strengthening democracy not only in the country but also globally.
