The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected as false a social media report claiming that its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had passed away in a hospital in London.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, issued a statement on Saturday clarifying that Yakubu is alive and in good health. He urged the public to ignore the baseless rumor.
Oyekanmi further emphasized that Yakubu had not traveled to London in the past two years, contradicting the claims in the fabricated report.
He highlighted Yakubu’s recent public appearances, including his participation in an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on December 11, 2024, and his role in chairing the INEC’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners the following day, December 12, 2024.
These events were widely covered by the media.
This is not the first time such rumors have circulated.
A similar fake story about Yakubu’s death was spread in 2021, and now, three years later, the same false narrative is being revived.
Oyekanmi warned those involved in spreading such misinformation to consider the negative impact it could have on individuals and society at large.
He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to collaborating with responsible media outlets to tackle the spread of fake news, which poses a serious threat to society.
