The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has decried the challenges it faces each year, demanding that its allocation be increased by 200 per cent given its huge challenges during electioneering campaigns and rejecting its N40 billion budgetary allocation while proposing N126 billion instead.
This was made known during a joint committee sitting for the budget defence of the Senate and House of Representatives on Friday in Abuja, when the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, addressed the meeting.
The INEC boss, in his presentation before the joint committee chaired by Senator Sarafadeen Alli, representing Oyo South, said elections in Nigeria have become a huge burden requiring adequate funding.
“Our proposal for the 2025 budget requires the provision of over N126 billion.
“We have the document that provides details, line by line, on how we intend to spend the N126 billion.
“We would like the support of the National Assembly to enable us to achieve our responsibilities in the first line of charge, and most of these responsibilities are constitutional.”
“In a nutshell, the N40 billion budget envelope given to us for 2025 will not cover one-third of projected expenses, which totally amounts to over N126 billion.
“Aside from the off-cycle elections for 21 constituencies to be filled through by-elections and the Anambra governorship election this year, personnel costs alone, on account of the new minimum wage, will eat up the N40 billion budgetary envelope,” he said.
He added that the inadequacy of the N40 billion budget envelope made the electoral body seek intervention funds of N10.5 billion for the Edo and Ondo elections in 2024, and another N500 million for by-elections in affected constituencies in 2024.
Apparently convinced by the proposal from INEC, members of the joint committee, one after the other, assured the electoral body that the proposed sum would be appropriated in the 2025 fiscal election budget.
Specifically, Senator Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT) said, “The situation at hand is not about looking for the N126 billion for INEC in the 2025 fiscal year, but providing it.”
The joint committee thereafter went into a closed-door session with the INEC Chairman and Federal Commissioners to discuss how to source the funds and appropriate them in the 2025 budget.
Share your story or advertise with us: Whatsapp: +2347068606071 Email: info@newspotng.com
