In a statement on Saturday, December 14, 2024, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, urged the public to dismiss the rumours, affirming that Mahmood Yakubu is alive, well, and in good health.

“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,” Oyekanmi noted.

The commission further clarified that the INEC chairman has not travelled to London in the past two years and was actively engaged in official duties during the week. It noted that Yakubu attended an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, and chaired a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on Thursday, December 12, 2024.

Both events, the statement emphasized, were extensively covered by television and featured on the front pages of major newspapers on Friday, December 13, 2024.

INEC noted that a similar false report had circulated in 2021, with the same baseless claims resurfacing three years later.

Similarly in 2023, during the heat of the general elections, The ICIR fact-checked a claim being circulated by a former Nigerian lawmaker, Dino Melaye about Yakubu’s life being at risk.

The commission condemned the spread of such misinformation, emphasizing the damage it inflicts on individuals and society. It also urged those responsible for creating and sharing such rumors to consider the consequences of their actions.

INEC reaffirmed its dedication to collaborating with reputable media professionals to tackle the increasing challenge of fake news.