By Ayorinde Oluokun.
Mahmood Yakubu, a Professor of Political History and International Studies, as well as a former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, has been appointed Chairman of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC).
His appointment was approved by the National Council of State on Wednesday in Abuja.
Professor Yakubu also served as the Assistant Secretary, Finance and Administration of the 2014 National Conference.
Aminu Tambuwal , the Governor of Sokoto State who announced the appointment to state house correspondents after the meeting, said President Buhari’s appointment of Professor Yakubu as new Chairman of INEC was in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and in consultation with the Council of State.
Acting Chairman, Amina Zakari now becomes the INEC Commissioner representing the North-West. Four other national commissioners were also appointed by President Buhari. They are: Dr. Anthonia Okoosi-Simbine (North Central); Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo (North-East); Dr. Mohammed Mustafa Lecky (South-South) and Mr. Soyebi Adedeji Solomon (South-West).
Born in Bauchi in 1962, Yakubu started his elementary education at Kobi Primary School after which he attended the Teachers’ college, Toro and later University of Sokoto (now Usman Danfodiyo University) where he graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in History, the first of such in the North.
He also attended University of Oxford where, at 29, he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy Degree with specialisation in Nigerian History in 1991. He is also an expert in guerrilla warfare, terrorism and counter-terrorism.
He also won the Overseas Research Student (ORS) Award by the London-based Committee of Vice-Chancellors of United Kingdom (UK) Universities and the Commonwealth Scholarship by the Association of Commonwealth Universities tenable at the University of Oxford.
He was, in 2007, appointed the Executive Secretary of the Education Trust Fund (ETF) now known as Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
The council also confirmed five other appointments today: Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as member representing North West; Dr. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbile as Commissioner North Central; Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo, from Borno as Commissioner representing North East; Dr, Mohammed Mustapha Lecky from Edo as Commissioner representing South South and Prince Soyebi Adedeji Solomon from Ogun representing South West. These are six appointments that will still be ratified by the Senate.