INEC Chairman Thanks President Tinubu for Approving Annex Building Construction
Oru Leonard
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the construction of a new annex building to complement the commission’s current headquarters in Abuja. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place on June 17, 2025, at Zambezi Crescent, Abuja.
The INEC headquarters, commissioned in December 1997, was originally designed to accommodate eight commission members and 500 staff. However, the commission’s activities have expanded significantly since then, with the staff strength more than doubling to 1,048 and 13 full-time commission members. The inadequate office space has led to congestion, with general staff meetings often held outside the commission.
“For a long time, the Commission has been grappling with inadequate office accommodation. Our present national headquarters is severely congested. Commissioned in December 1997, it was originally planned to cater for eight Commission members (a Chairman and seven full-time National Commissioners), ten Departments/Directorates and 500 staff. Since then, the activities of the Commission have become more extensive and the staff strength at the headquarters has more than doubled. Today, there are 13 full-time Commission members (a Chairman and 12 National Commissioners), 22 Departments/ Directorates and 1,048 staff. Consequently, every facility is overstretched from offices to meeting rooms for the Commission’s 15 standing Committees and other activities, including regular engagements with stakeholders. General staff meetings always take place outside the Commission. In response, the Commission was compelled to rent two buildings in Wuse Zone II to ease the situation.
“Over the last ten years, we made every effort to alleviate the situation until sometime last year when the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory came to the rescue. I wish to make it clear that this is not the first time that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) is constructing an office for the Electoral Commission. When the Commission relocated its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 1991, it was the FCDA that provided it with offices in Garki to accommodate the national headquarters as well as the FCT office. When the facility became overstretched, the FCDA again built our present headquarters. The building in Garki now operates exclusively as our FCT Office. In fact, today’s ground breaking event is the third time in the last 34 years that the FCDA, in the discharge of its responsibilities, is stepping in to either provide office accommodation or alleviate the Commission’s space constraint” explained.
The new annex building will feature
additional office space to alleviate congestion and improve working conditions, conference rooms and meeting rooms to facilitate stakeholder engagements and internal discussions, 1,000-seat auditorium for large gatherings and events, Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) Offices, and a Museum.
INEC Boss noted that the construction of the new annex building is expected to enhance the commission’s operations and improve its ability to deliver its mandate. Professor Yakubu praised President Tinubu for his support and presence at the groundbreaking ceremony, acknowledging the president’s commitment to providing necessary infrastructure for the commission.
He appreciated the presence of the Senate President, the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the House of Representatives. “We are similarly appreciative of the Honourable Minister of the FCT for his diligent pursuit of the project as well as the leadership of the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in the National Assembly, leaders of political parties and all stakeholders for their presence and support” he said
Professor Mahmood Yakubu has been instrumental in shaping INEC’s electoral processes, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and credibility. His leadership has been recognized both locally and internationally, with many hailing his efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
