The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the N40bn earmarked for it in 2025 budget estimates but tacitly got approval for the N126bn it proposed to the National Assembly through its Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters.
The rejection of the N40bn yearly budget envelope for the electoral body was made by its Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu to the joint committee on Friday during the budget defence session.
The INEC boss in his presentation before the joint committee chaired by Senator Sarafadeen Alli (APC Oyo South), said elections in Nigeria have become huge burden requiring adequate funding.
“Our proposal for the 2025 budget: The provision requires the sum of over N126 billion.
“We have the document that has provided details line by line on how we intend to spend the 126 billion.
“We would like the support of the National Assembly to enable us to achieve our responsibilities in the first line charge and most of these responsibilities are constitutional.
“In a nutshell, the N40billion budget envelope given us for 2025 will not cover 1/3 of projected expenses which amounts to over N126billion.
“Aside the off-cycle elections for the 21 constituencies to be filled through bye – elections and the Anambra Governorship election this year, personnel cost alone on account of the new minimum wage will eat up the N40billion budgetary envelope”, he said.
He added that the inadequacy of the N40billion budget envelope made the electoral body to get intervention funds of N10.5billion for Edo and Ondo elections in 2024 and another N500million for bye elections on affected constituencies in 2024.
Apparently convinced by the proposal of INEC, members of the joint committee, one after the other, assured the electoral body that the proposed sum shall be appropriated for in the 2025 fiscal budget.
Specifically, Senator Ireti Kingibe (LP FCT), said “the situation at hand is not about looking for the N126billion for INEC in 2025 fiscal year but providing it“.
The joint committee thereafter went into a closed door session with the INEC Chairman and Federal Commissioners on how to source for the fund and appropriate it in the 2025 budget.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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