Tinubu Pushes Senate to Confirm Jamila Abubakar as INEC Commissioner, Ismail Yusuf as NAHCON Chairman

|By Adejumo Adekunle

President Bola Tinubu has formally asked the Senate to confirm the nomination of retired Admiral Jamila Abubakar as National Commissioner representing Adamawa State at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The request was conveyed in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during Tuesday’s plenary session. In the correspondence, Tinubu invoked Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to justify the appointment and urged lawmakers to expedite the confirmation process.

“I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Admiral Jamila Abubakar Sadiq (rtd.) as Commissioner representing Adamawa State at the Independent National Electoral Commission,” the President wrote, expressing confidence that the upper chamber would act swiftly.

Following the reading of the letter, Akpabio referred the nomination to the Senate Committee on INEC for legislative scrutiny. The committee is expected to review the nominee’s credentials and submit its report within one week.

In a related development, Tinubu also sought Senate approval for the appointment of Ambassador Ismail Yusuf as Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

The President, in a separate letter, anchored the request on Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act, 2026, stressing the need for prompt legislative action. He appealed to the Senate to confirm the nomination without delay.

Responding, Akpabio directed the request to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further consideration. The committee has been mandated to report back to plenary within one week.

The twin nominations signal fresh appointments into two strategic federal bodies—INEC, which oversees Nigeria’s electoral process, and NAHCON, which regulates and supervises Hajj operations for Nigerian pilgrims. Lawmakers are now set to subject both nominees to legislative vetting before a final confirmation vote.