INEC has proposed more than three times its budgetary allocations in 2025 budget, and says elections in Nigeria have become a huge burden
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the N40 billion allocated to it in the 2025 budget proposal, instead proposing N126 billion to adequately fund its activities.
This development emerged during a budget defense session with the national assembly’s joint committee on INEC and electoral matters.
The INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made the case for the increased funding on Friday, highlighting the financial demands of conducting elections in Nigeria.
“Our proposal for the 2025 budget requires the sum of over N126 billion,” he stated during his presentation to the committee, chaired by Sen. Sharafadeen Alli (APC Oyo).
“We have the document that has provided 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 charge, and most of these responsibilities are constitutional.“
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Professor Yakubu explained that the N40 billion budget envelope allocated for 2025 was grossly inadequate, noting that it would not cover one-third of the projected expenses, which total over N126 billion.
“Apart from the off-cycle elections for 21 constituencies to be filled through bye-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 further pointed out that the commission had to rely on intervention funds to meet its financial needs in 2024, including N10.5 billion for the Edo and Ondo governorship elections and an additional N500 million for bye-elections in affected constituencies.
Yakubu described the increasing financial burden of elections “ Nigeria no longer have election cycle, in Ghana only three bye-election was conducted in one election cycle” he said adding that conducting elections in Nigeria is huge and burdensome, further emphasizing that adequate funding was crucial to the commission’s ability to carry out its constitutional responsibilities effectively.
In a bid to address these challenges, he appealed to the lawmakers to organize a retreat where both the legislature and INEC can collaborate, exchange ideas, and find solutions to the pressing issues affecting the electoral process in Nigeria.
“We need a major conversation, the commission cannot continue conducting elections all year round,” he said.
The detailed proposal appeared to resonate with members of the joint committee, who assured INEC of their commitment to securing the necessary funds for the commission.
Chairman House committee on INEC and electoral matters, Rep. Balogun Adebayo (APC Lagos), praised the INEC chairman for utilising the necessary resources judiciously.
He said: “ We need to make INEC really independent so we should meet their budgetary requirements so that they are not tempted to go to the executives for help”
Senator Ireti Kingibe (LP FCT) remarked, “The situation at hand is not about looking for the N126 billion for INEC in the 2025 fiscal year but providing it.”
The session ended with the joint committee entering a closed-door meeting with the INEC Chairman and Federal Commissioners to discuss funding sources and strategies for appropriating the proposed sum in the 2025 budget.
