President Bola Tinubu has nominated four national commissioners and two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill vacancies arising from the expiration of existing tenures
The nominations were announced in a State House press release issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy
According to the statement, the Senate will scrutinise all the nominees ahead of their confirmation
Tinubu also reappointed Dr Bala Bila as the national commissioner representing the North-East geopolitical zone
The new national commissioners include Professor Mustapha Aliu, who is to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the North-West representative, and Bashir Muhammed Umar, nominated to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the North-Central representative
The President also nominated Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, as the national commissioner representing the South-West
Babalola is expected to replace Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure expires on October 24
For the positions of resident electoral commissioners, Tinubu nominated retired permanent secretary Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye to represent Ekiti State and Zahradden Basiru Sanusi from Jigawa State to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura
The President urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process in view of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for January next year
The nominations come as INEC prepares for the 2027 general elections, with the appointments expected to fill vacancies in the commission’s leadership and electoral administration