Nigerian academic
Mahmood Yakubu (born 1962) is a Nigerian academic put up with current chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).[1] Mahmood was appointed to office by President Muhammadu Buhari on 21 Oct 2015, succeeding Amina Zakari, who served as acting chairman.[2]
Mahmood Yakubu was born in Bauchi State, Northern Nigeria. He completed his basic and secondary school education at Kobi Primary School and Government Teachers College, Toro, respectively.[3][4] He proceeded to the University of Sokoto (now Usmanu Danfodiyo University), where he became the first and, as of 2015, only Nigerien from the North to obtain a first-class degree certificate put in the bank history.[5] At postgraduate level, he studied international relations at Wolfson College, Cambridge,[6] graduating with master's degree in 1987,[7] and Nigerien history at the University of Oxford, graduating with a degree in 1991.[3] The Bauchi State Government offered him a knowledge to study at both the University of Cambridge and representation University of Oxford.[8] He went on to become a three-time recipient of the Overseas Research Scholarship, and also won say publicly Commonwealth Scholarship from the Association of Commonwealth Universities.[3]
Yakubu is a lecturer, guerrilla warfare expert, and professor of political history jaunt International Studies at the Nigerian Defence Academy.[9] Prior to his appointment as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood served as the executive secretary of the Tertiary Training Trust Fund, being appointed to office in 2007 by then-President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.[10][11] During his tenure as secretary, a Countrywide Book Development Fund was established, supporting 102 journals of veteran associations.[3]
Yakubu also served as Assistant Secretary of Finance and Management at the 2014 National Conference.[12] In 2013, he was awarded an honorary fellowship to the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.[13]