President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated four new national commissioners and two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill vacancies arising from the expiration of their predecessors’ tenures.
The President has also reappointed Dr Bala Bila as the national commissioner representing the North-East geopolitical zone.
According to a statement issued on Friday, October 16, 2026, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the nominations have been forwarded to the Senate for scrutiny and confirmation.
Among the newly nominated national commissioners is Professor Mustapha Aliu, who is expected to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the representative of the North-West zone.
Bashir Muhammed Umar has also been nominated to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the national commissioner representing the North-Central zone.
For the South-West zone, Tinubu nominated Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, the current Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, to replace Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure is scheduled to expire on October 24.
The President also nominated two new Resident Electoral Commissioners. They are retired Permanent Secretary Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye, who will represent Ekiti State, and Zahradden Basiru Sanusi, from Jigawa State, who is expected to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.
The nominations are subject to Senate screening and confirmation.
Onanuga said the President had urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process in view of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for January.
The appointments and reappointments are part of efforts to fill vacancies within the electoral commission as it prepares for the next general elections.
