Electoral Body Under Yakubu was a National Disgrace, Says Atedo Peterside

The founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc and Anap Foundation, Atedo Peterside, has delivered a scathing assessment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of former chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu. Peterside flatly described the electoral body under Yakubu’s tenure as a “national disgrace.”

Peterside made the potent remark during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, October 27, 2025. The comments were made as he addressed questions regarding his expectations for the commission’s new leadership, now under Professor Joash Amupitan, particularly in light of the forthcoming off-cycle elections in Anambra and Ekiti states.

Dependable NG reports that the prominent businessman and public commentator did not hold back in criticising the integrity of the electoral process under Yakubu. Peterside specifically pointed to instances of alleged manipulation of election results, citing visible inconsistencies in the documentation available on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

He challenged the public to verify his claims, saying, “I would never say never. But the INEC that was left by Prof Mahmoud Yakubu was a national disgrace.” He then asserted, “If you have time, you just have to go on the IReV. I can take you there myself and show you result sheet which they manipulated. Sometimes they changed figures and forgot to change the words. This didn’t add up at all.” Peterside’s comments underscore the widespread concerns regarding transparency and credibility that trailed the conclusion of the most recent general elections.