The Independent National Electoral Commission has issued a statement to debunk rumors regarding the death of its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
In a statement released on Saturday, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, clarified that Yakubu is alive and in good health.
The clarification followed reports claiming that Yakubu had died in London. The fake news narrative first circulated on social media on December 9, 2024, according to Channels TV.
Oyekanmi appealed to the public to disregard the false reports, stating that Yakubu has not traveled to London in the past two years. He emphasized that the INEC Chairman participated in an interactive meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on December 11, 2024, and chaired a Commission meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners the following day, both of which were widely covered in the media.
The statement also noted that a similar false rumor had circulated in 2021, and it was being spread again three years later. The INEC urged individuals responsible for spreading such misinformation to consider its harmful effects on both the individuals involved and society at large.
Furthermore, the Commission reiterated its commitment to working with reputable media professionals to combat the spread of fake news and its potential dangers.
“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, he 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 public may recall that mischief-makers on the social media carried a similar fake story in 2021. Three years later, they are spreading the same rumour again.
“Those who indulge in this practice, as well as those who spread it, should be mindful of its effect not only on the individual but also the wider society,” the statement said.
