Africa
Politics
Nigeria
INEC debunks rumors of Chairman Mahmood Yakubu's death, confirming he is alive
Bahati shalom
Dec 14, 2024
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed rumors about the death of its Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, urging the public to ignore the false reports.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, issued a statement on Saturday clarifying that Professor Yakubu is alive and in good health. The rumors, which claimed the Chairman had passed away in a London hospital, first surfaced on social media on December 9, 2024.
“We hereby appeal to the public to disregard the rumour. Prof. Yakubu is alive, hale and hearty. In fact, he has not travelled to London in the last two years," the statement said.
To further disprove the claims, Oyekanmi highlighted Yakubu’s recent activities, including attending an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on December 11 and chairing a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on December 12. Both events were widely reported and covered by the media.
The statement also reminded the public of a similar false story about Yakubu’s death circulated in 2021.
"Three years later, they are spreading the same rumour again," Oyekanmi noted, cautioning against the spread of such misinformation due to its potential harm to individuals and society.
INEC reassured Nigerians that the Commission remains committed to its responsibilities, despite these distractions.
