Nigeria’s electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has requested the sum of one hundred and twenty six billion naira for successful operations in 2025.
The chairman of the Commission, Professor Mamud Yakubu made the demand at a joint budget defense at the National Assembly, in Abuja.
He said that INEC could also not commence continuous voter education across the country due to lack of funds.
“Much as the commission has wanted, we could not commence the continuous voter registration in 2024 because there was no provision in the budget. We also wanted to commence the voter redistribution to polling units after the successful expansion of voters access to polling units before the 2023 general elections, we couldn’t do this. This budget covers not just INEC office in Abuja but also all our thirty seven offices nationwide and seven hundred and seventh four local government offices. And some of them were actually lulling activities,” Professor Yakubu said.
The INEC chairman also said that the commission has eleven National Assembly bye elections to conduct this year alone.
Professor Mamud also said that the continuous conduct of Bye elections in Nigeria is becoming a big burden to the commission.
“We need a big major conversation in this country. Nigeria does not have an election season anymore. Conducting elections in Nigeria is huge. This nation is spending and spending to conduct elections. The conduct of election is becoming a big burden,” Professor Yakubu said..
He added that one hundred and forty two recommendations have been submitted to the national assembly on how to electoral reform in Nigeria.
In his submission, Senator Yaroe Binos said that he was not satisfied with the explanation of the INEC Chairman.
While Senator Ireti Kingibe called for more funding for INEC to achieve electoral reform in Nigeria.
The Chairman House Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr. Adabayo Balogun said that his concern was that INEC has to be given more fund.
He said that if INEC is starved of find it might lead to commission to seek for assistance in the wrong places.
“We want INEC to be totally independent. To make INEC totally independent, we need to give them all the funds. This to stop them from running to Council chairmen and state governors to ask for funds. Because he who pays the piper dictates the time. Financial situations should not deter INEC from doing its job,” Mr Balogun said.
The meeting went into an executive session to conclude the discussions.
Confidence Okwuchi
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