Former INEC chair spokesman says staff sang farewell praise not dirge for Yakubu

Rotimi Oyekanmi, former Chief Press Secretary to the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says staff of the commission sang a farewell praise for his principal and not a dirge.

Rotimi, who has left office with Yakubu, debunked a media report misinterpreting the show of love to the former chairman at the commission’s headquarters.

Oyekanmi in a statement in Abuja decried the narrative by a section of the media, referencing a report that described the visible show of appreciation by INEC staff as a “funeral song.”

He described the reports as a false, deliberate piece of disinformation conjured by a set of haters masquerading as journalists.

Oyekanmi said it was quite a shame that a news platform would report the direct opposite of an event even when the evidence was clear.

“The visible show of love and respect displayed by the appreciative INEC staff at the commission’s headquarters yesterday as the departing former INEC Chairman, Yakubu walks to his car is now been intentionally mis-interpreted and misrepresented as a “funeral song.

“This deliberate piece of disinformation can only be conjured by a set of haters masquerading as journalists at Sahara Reporters. But they have failed and will continue to fail,” he said.

Oyekanmi said that contrary to the misleading report, majority of the INEC Staff openly talked about Yakubu’s transformative policies that had, over the last 10 years, led to senior and junior staff promotions, more allowances and capacity development initiatives.

He said that the INEC Staff members always demonstrated love towards Yakubu at every given opportunity throughout his tenure.

“Journalism is about facts, accuracy and truthfulness, not a vehicle to be misused by pseudo-journalists to embark on a campaign of calumny against individuals.

“It is high time the management of Sahara Reporters cautioned persons using its platform to spread lies about individuals, institutions and events, which will be detrimental to the newspaper’s reputation in the long run.

“Prof. Yakubu’s place in history is assured, no matter the lies being spread by familiar forces,” he said.

Yakubu on Tuesday bowed out as INEC Chairman and handed over to Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, as the acting Chairman, pending the appointment of a new chairman.

Yakubu was appointed INEC chairman by former President Muhammadu Buhari on Oct. 21, 2015 and re-appointed in December 2020.

Our correspondent reports that Yakubu while speaking during the handover ceremony, said that his decision to bow out was to pave way for the appointment of a new chairman.

Yakubu said that his bowing out would also enable the person taking over to quickly settle down to the task of conducting elections and electoral activities.

While Agbamuche-Mbu in her brief remarks commended Yakubu for setting high record during his tenure, some staff members of the commission also sang song to cheer him as he walked to his car after group photography with them.

Earlier on Monday at an event organised by INEC to commemorate the 2025 Customer Service Week, the commission presented Yakubu with an “Excellence Service Delivery Award”.