The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly refuted circulating rumours claiming the death of its Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, calling them baseless and malicious.
In a statement released to Uptown Press on Saturday, December 14, Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, emphatically stated that Professor Yakubu is alive and in good health. The clarification comes after unfounded reports surfaced on social media alleging that the INEC Chairman had passed away in a London hospital. The rumour was first spread on December 9, 2024.
Oyekanmi dismissed the reports as “fake news,” urging the public to disregard the false claims. He further pointed out that Professor Yakubu has not traveled to London in the last two years. In fact, the INEC Chairman was actively involved in key official duties just days before the rumours emerged, including participating in a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on December 11, 2024, and presiding over a session with Resident Electoral Commissioners the following day, December 12, 2024. Both events were extensively covered by the media.
This is not the first time such unfounded rumours have been spread. In 2021, a similar hoax circulated online, only for the INEC Chairman to prove these claims false. The Commission expressed concern over the persistent spread of fake news, warning of its harmful impact on individuals and society at large.
The statement concluded by reiterating INEC’s commitment to combating misinformation, emphasising the importance of working with credible media outlets to protect the public from the dangers of fake news.
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