Tinubu Nominates Four INEC National Commissioners, Two RECs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated four new national commissioners and two Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), to fill vacancies arising from the expiration of existing tenures. The nominees are expected to undergo screening and confirmation by the Senate.

In a statement issued on Friday October 16, 2026 by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu also reappointed Bala Bila as the National Commissioner representing the North-East.

The new national commissioners include Professor Mustapha Aliu, who will replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the North-West representative, and Bashir Muhammed Umar, who will succeed Professor Muhammad Adamu as the North-Central representative.

The President has also nominated the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, Oluwatoyin Babalola, as the new National Commissioner representing the South-West. She will replace Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure expires on October 24.

For the position of Resident Electoral Commissioners, President Tinubu nominated retired Permanent Secretary, Samuel Akinleye, to represent Ekiti State, and Zahradden Basiru Sanusi from Jigawa State, who will replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.

President Tinubu has urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation of the nominees in view of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for next January.