Professor Abubakar Momoh, prominent Nigerian civil society leader and director general of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Electoral Institute, has died.

Momoh, who sat on the board of several nongovernmental organisations, died early Monday, his associates said.

His associate and lawyer, Abdul Mahmoud, confirmed the development.

“It’s true, I have just spoken to his brother-in-law,” he wrote on his Facebook Page.

Until his death, Momoh was dean of Faculty of Social Sciences at the Lagos State University, LASU.

“Momoh obtained PhD in political theory and began his lecturing career in 1988,” his profile published by African Leadership Centre, says.

He has served on various boards and scientific committees including those of Centre for Democracy and Development, and Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa.

He was national treasurer of Academic Staff Union of Universities between 1991 and 1995.

He has been a researcher and lecturer at many universities across the world, including being visiting research fellow, Institute of Development Studies, University of Helsinki, Finland; fellow, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Sweden.

Momoh has also been on several technical teams of the African Union Commission, and most recently was involved in designing the African Governance Architecture and elections bench-marking for the African Union.

He has also served as an election observer to several African countries on behalf of ECOWAS and African Union. He has also served as an election observer to some European countries.

PT