President Tinubu Appoints Four New Commissioners  For INEC

By Ayodele Oni

As the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) prepares for the 2027 general elections, President Bola Tinubu has nominated four new national commissioners and two new resident electoral commissioners to fill existing vacancies at the Commission.

The vacancies were created by expiring tenures.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the nominations in a statement issued on Friday, adding that the Senate will scrutinise all the nominees.

According to the statement, President Tinubu reappointed Dr Bala Bila, the national commissioner representing the North East.

The new national commissioners are Prof Mustapha Aliu, who will replace Prof Abdullahi Zuru as the North West representative, and Bashir Muhammed Umar, who will replace Prof Muhammad Adamu as the North Central representative.

It added that President Tinubu recommended Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, the resident electoral commissioner in Osun, as the new South West national commissioner, replacing Prof Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure expires on October 24.

The two new resident electoral commissioners are retired permanent secretary Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye, to represent Ekiti State, and Zahradden Basiru Sanusi, from Jigawa, who will replace Prof Saidu Ahmed Babura.

The statement added that President Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite the nominees’ confirmation in view of the forthcoming general elections next January.