Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has said the Commission would require about N126 billion to finance its activities in 2025 and begin preparation for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking while defending the 2025 budget proposal of the Commission before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, Prof. Mahmood said the N40 billion being proposed for the Commission in the 2025 budget presented to the National Assembly by the President will be enough to cover its activities, including salaries and allowances for the year in view of the recent increase in minimum wage.
He explained that in 2024, the commission was also allocated the same N40 billion which only covered salaries and some social contributions such as NHIS contributions, pension, ITF among others, saying “we complained about the allocations and you asked what we thought would be adequate. We made a proposal of N80 billion then. We are aware that you made efforts to ensure an increase, but that did not work.
“On our part, we made efforts and approached the Executive for more funds, and we were able to get about N10.5 billion from the Executive to take care of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections That was why we were able to conduct those elections and come out successful.”
The INEC boss said the year 2025 is a very critical year for the Commission, saying “we have the Anambra governorship election coming up later in the year. Provision for preparation for that election is not in the budget. We must prepare for the conduct of the Area Council elections scheduled for February 2026, and the budget for that election is not in this budget. We must monitor party primaries for these elections, including the conduct of bye elections and the budget for that is not in the current budget.
“Also, we must begin preparation for the 2027 general elections this year. We have not commenced the Continuous Voter Registration exercise because of lack of money. We have to start this year and end it in 2026. We must also begin redistribution of voters to polling units from those that are overpopulated. All these activities cost money and that has not been considered in this budget.”
Prof. Yakubu also said that the Commission has about 11 bye elections to be conduct this year both in the National and State Houses of Assembly as a result of death and resignation, saying the Commission had been able to secure about N500 million from the government for that purpose, adding that the money will, however, not be enough to cover the cost of the elections.
He regretted that the Commission is still being allocated N40 billion without consideration of the increase in minimum wage, saying the Commission currently has one of the largest workforce in the country with over 14,700 staff outside the political appointees in the commission.
He said the political appointees in the commission include the Chairman and 12 National Commissioners, 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners, their aides who draw salaries and allowances from the funds of the commission.
He also said that the Commission has over 850 buildings across the country in dire need of renovation as well as offices in the 8809 wards, 774 local government, 37 state offices as well as the national headquarters and various stores which has to be taken care of from the budget.
The INEC Chairman also disclosed that the Commission plans to replace some of its items such as BVAS machines, voting cubicles and other materials, adding that between the conduct of the 2023 general election and now, the commission has lost about 440 BVAS machines, but was quick to add that the Commission has, however, collected insurance premium of about N205 million for the damaged BVAS.
He said “that money was not paid directly to the Commission. It was paid directly to government coffers”.
Reacting to the presentation by the INEC Chairman, Senator Ireti Kingible said the National Assembly must look for ways to get enough funding for the Commission if it must discharge its responsibility diligently and save the nation’s democracy.
She said “INEC has to be independent, and whatever we have to do to get funding for the commission must be done. It is not whether the commission will get the money. It has to get the money needed”.
The budget defence later went into an executive session between the joint committee and the INEC chairman with about seven of his national commissioners and directors in attendance.
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