The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Friday that N100 billion given as first tranche for conduct of 2023 general election will not be enough.
Chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu who stated this during budget defense session with the Senate Committee on INEC, said N189 billion was appropriated for the commission for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.
According to him, based on the 2019 budgetary plan, it cannot be N100bn only for 2023 general elections aside from the traditional N40biilion yearly budget.
Mahmood says more funds will be required because of some expansion made by the commission ranging from polling units, introduction of new technology, and increased voters
Breaking the projected expenses further, he said, Electoral operational and recurrent cost is (conduct of polls) N7.3 bn for the procurement of non-sensitive materials and logistics.
“We also budgeted N7bn for the conduct of Ekiti and Osun governorship election including the possibility of runoffs.
“We made a provision of N2.6bn for Ekiti State with a population of over one million registered voters and N4.4bn for Osun with 30 local government areas.
“We are earmarking N4.2bn for the continuous registration exercise in 2,700 centres.
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“Monitoring of party congresses, and campaign activities N619m. I am not sure it would be adequate. We are monitoring party congresses and primaries right from the ward levels by direct means.
“We have 8,809 wards and 18 political parties. We have different types of elections. Presidential, Senatorial, House of Representatives, and States constituency primaries. If they would be done by direct means, we have to make preparations for it.
“We have 993 state constituencies, so, if parties are going to nominate their candidates we are going to monitor in all the locations. 109 senatorial districts, 360 House of Representatives and 28 governorship elections because eight are being conducted off-season.
“We will monitor party primaries for the nomination of candidates in over 1, 400 constituencies so the cost would be enormous.
“We have earmarked N2bn for litigation and prosecution. This has become a real burden on the commission.
“In the last 27 elections we have conducted, none has been successfully litigated in court including Edo and Ondo. There are more litigations arising from the conduct of party primaries.
“Voter education and enlightenment is N1bn around new polling units we just created and our new innovations”.
Reporter: Oyediya Urum Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
