Top Northern Leaders Celebrate Yakubu’s Elevation to Diplomatic Role

By Buba Gloria

The Northern Awareness Network (NAN) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the nomination of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, as Nigeria’s ambassador to an unspecified international mission, describing the development as a boost to the nation’s diplomatic profile.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja and signed by its Chairman, Salihu Sulaiman, the group said the nomination was a recognition of Yakubu’s “distinguished record of public service” and his “vast experience in global affairs,” which it argued would be invaluable in strengthening Nigeria’s engagement on the international stage.

Sulaiman noted that the former INEC chairman had earned national and international respect during his stewardship at the electoral body, where he championed reforms aimed at improving electoral transparency and deepening democratic processes.

He dismissed concerns raised in some quarters that Yakubu’s new appointment could compromise the independence of INEC, insisting such fears were “misguided and reckless.”

According to him, the neutrality of INEC is anchored on law, institutional safeguards, and multilayered oversight mechanisms—not on the post-service career of any individual.

“INEC’s integrity is not tied to the personal trajectory of any former official,” Sulaiman said. “It is a system strengthened by reforms since 2010, monitored by political parties, civil society organisations, and the media. Democracy rests on institutions