The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed social media reports claiming the death of its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in a London hospital
The false reports surfaced on Monday, December 9, 2024, alleging Yakubu’s demise. However, in a statement issued on Saturday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, urged the public to disregard the rumors, affirming that Yakubu is alive and in good health.
“Our attention has been drawn to a fake news narrative on social media claiming that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, passed away in a London hospital. This story, which first emerged on Monday, December 9, 2024, is completely false. Prof. Yakubu is alive, hale, and hearty,” Oyekanmi stated.
The commission also clarified that Yakubu has not been to London in over two years. It highlighted his active participation in recent public engagements, including an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, and a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners the following day. Both events were widely reported by the media.
INEC noted that similar false claims about Yakubu’s death circulated in 2021, calling this recurrence troubling. The commission condemned the spread of such misinformation, warning of the societal harm caused by fake news.
It reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with credible media outlets to combat the rising threat of misinformation and ensure accurate reporting.
“Our attention has been drawn to a fake news narrative circulated by a section of the social media claiming the purported death of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at a London hospital. The story first appeared on Monday, 9th December 2024.
“We hereby appeal to the public to disregard the rumour. Prof. Yakubu is alive, hale and hearty,”
“In fact, Yakubu has not travelled to London in the last two years. He was present at an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on Wednesday, 11th December 2024.
“He also chaired the commission’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on Thursday, 12th December 2024. Both events were widely covered on television and reported on the front pages of most newspapers yesterday, Friday 13th December 2024,” the statement stressed.
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