Tinubu Didn’t Sack INEC Boss! Presidency Breaks Silence on Viral Rumour

The Presidency has shot down widespread social media rumours claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed or is planning to replace the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

Responding to the viral claims on Monday, O’tega Ogra, the President’s Senior Special Adviser on Digital and New Media, debunked the reports via his official 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) handle, calling them outright “fake news.”

“Disregard any fake news making the rounds about the replacement of the INEC Chairman. Any such announcement will come from the SGF’s office or any other official source,” Ogra wrote.

The denial comes as online speculation and unverified posts claimed that a decision had already been made to oust Yakubu and name a replacement.

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However, there has been no statement to that effect from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Presidency, or INEC itself—signalling that no such move is currently underway.

Professor Yakubu, reappointed in 2020 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, has been under fire since the 2023 general elections, with critics questioning the credibility of the polls. Despite the mounting scrutiny, the Federal Government has not given any official sign that it intends to relieve him of his duties.