Mahmood Yakubu Honored by Liberia’s National Electoral Commission for Strengthening Democracy

Liberia’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) recently paid tribute to Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in recognition of his pivotal role in sustaining Liberia’s democratic journey.

The honorary tribute took place during the commissioning of a new workspace for NEC staff, an event attended by Davidetta Lansanah, Chairperson of Liberia’s NEC, who extended a warm invitation to her Nigerian counterpart.

Lansanah praised INEC’s technical support in establishing the new workspace, emphasizing its contribution to bolstering Liberia’s electoral process. She expressed gratitude for Yakubu’s indispensable contributions to sustaining Liberia’s democracy and commended his advocacy for resource sharing among regional electoral management bodies (EMBs).

Yakubu, in turn, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to dedicate the workspace and highlighted its significance in enhancing the operational capabilities of staff, particularly through advanced information and technology facilities. He recalled INEC’s vital assistance during Liberia’s 2017 presidential election, underscoring the joint efforts of IT experts from both countries in addressing concerns related to voters’ registrations.

During his remarks, Yakubu also called for prioritizing peer support among regional election management boards, citing the rising cost of conducting elections. The event saw the attendance of notable figures, including Christine Umutoni, the United Nations resident coordinator in Liberia, Manir Ibrahim, Charge d’Affaires of the Nigerian embassy in Liberia, and a representative from the Liberian Bar Association.

This tribute comes on the heels of Liberia’s NEC announcing Joseph Boakai as the winner of the presidential election in November, with Boakai securing victory with 50.64 percent of the votes, defeating the incumbent George Weah.