President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated four national commissioners and two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to fill vacancies at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The nominations, announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Friday, October 16, 2026, are subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Tinubu also reappointed Dr Bala Bila as the national commissioner representing the North-East geopolitical zone.
Among the new national commissioner nominees is Professor Mustapha Aliu, who is expected to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the representative of the North-West.
Bashir Muhammed Umar was nominated to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the national commissioner representing the North-Central zone.
The President also recommended Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, for appointment as the South-West national commissioner. She will succeed Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure expires on October 24, 2026.
For the Resident Electoral Commissioner positions, Tinubu nominated retired permanent secretary Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye to represent Ekiti State, while Zahradden Basiru Sanusi, from Jigawa State, was nominated to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.
According to the statement, the nominations are aimed at filling vacancies arising from the expiration of the affected officials’ tenures.
Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite the screening and confirmation of the nominees in view of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for January 2027.
