President Bola Tinubu has nominated six officials for appointment to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), asking the Senate to fast-track their confirmation ahead of the January 2027 general elections.

The nominees comprise four national commissioners and two resident electoral commissioners, selected to fill positions affected by the expiration of existing tenures.

According to a statement issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, the Senate is expected to screen all six nominees.

Among the national commissioner nominees are Professor Mustapha Aliu, representing the North-West; Bashir Umar, for the North-Central; and Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, for the South-West.

Aliu is expected to succeed Professor Abdullahi Zuru, while Umar will replace Professor Muhammad Adamu. Babalola, who currently serves as the resident electoral commissioner in Osun State, is nominated to take over from Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure ends on October 24.

For the resident electoral commissioner positions, Tinubu nominated retired permanent secretary Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye to represent Ekiti State and Zahradden Basiru Sanusi from Jigawa State.

Akinleye is among the two nominees for the state-level electoral positions, while Sanusi is expected to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.

The President has urged the Senate to conclude the confirmation process promptly, citing the approaching general elections in January as the reason for the urgency.

The appointments are expected to fill vacancies within the electoral body as preparations continue for the forthcoming elections.