by Tony Akowe, Abuja
‘Commission needs own network’
Lawmakers approve bulk disbursement of cash
The Federal Government may spend a total of N1.04 trillion on off-cycle elections this year, the 2027 general election and other operational needs of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), subject to approval by the National Assembly.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the request while defending the commission’s spending proposal before the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Electoral Matters.
Amupitan urged lawmakers to grant approval for the proposal and ensure the timely and full release of funds.
He warned that delays could hamper preparations for the upcoming elections.
According to him, the commission is seeking N873.778 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general election and N171 billion for its operations in 2026, including off-cycle elections scheduled for this year.
He explained that the operational budget would cover the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, by-elections holding next week, as well as the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections slated for June and September.
The INEC chairman provided a detailed breakdown of the proposed N873.778 billion earmarked for the 2027 general election.
This includes N379.748 billion for operational costs, N92.317 billion for administrative expenses, N209.206 billion for technology, N154.905 billion for election capital costs and N42.608 billion for miscellaneous expenses.
For the N171 billion proposed for 2026 operations, Amupitan said N109 billion would be spent on personnel costs, N18.7 billion on overheads, N42.63 billion for the conduct of elections and N1.4 billion for capital allocation.
He noted that the election budget was prepared in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
It requires the budget for the conduct of elections to be submitted at least one year before a general election.
Amupitan criticised the envelope system of budgeting, describing it as unsuitable for the commission’s operations, which often require urgent interventions.
“The nature of our work demands prompt access to funds,” he said, appealing for the immediate release of approved funds.
He also identified the lack of a dedicated communication network as one of the commission’s major challenges, adding that developing an independent network would enhance accountability.
“If we have our own network, Nigerians can hold us responsible for any hitch,” he said.
Lawmakers back bulk release of funds
Reacting to the presentation, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) said no government agency should impose a budgeting system on INEC, given the sensitive nature of its mandate.
He argued that the envelope budgeting system should be set aside for the commission, urging lawmakers to work with INEC’s proposals to avoid operational complaints.
In the envelope budgeting system, spending on an expense category ends once the cash allocated for it is exhausted, even if funds are available for other items (as if kept in envelopes).
Billy Osawaru, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, said INEC’s budget should be placed on first-line charge, as provided for in the Constitution, to allow the full release of funds at once for effective planning and execution of its duties.
Following deliberations, the joint committee approved a motion calling for a one-time release of INEC’s annual budget.
The committee also said it would consider INEC’s request for an increase in allowances for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed for election duties, estimated at N32 billion, translating to N125,000 per corps member.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Simon Lalong, assured the commission of lawmakers’ support, pledging that the National Assembly would work closely with INEC to ensure all requirements for the successful conduct of the 2027 general election are met.
Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also promised legislative support but cautioned the commission against making commitments that could be difficult to fulfil.
He recalled that a previous INEC administration made extensive promises about real-time result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
“The last INEC made it look as if Nigerians would be watching election results on IREV like television,” Balogun said.
“Meanwhile, IREV was not even provided for in the Electoral Act but only in INEC regulations.
“So, be careful how you make promises.”
