2025 Budget: INEC proposes N126 billion, says Nigeria most complex country to conduct election

From N40 billion allocation, the Independent National Electoral Commission has proposed the sum of N126 billion as its 2025 budget, saying Nigeria is the most complex country to conduct election.

Speaking at the Senate and House of Representatives joint Committee on INEC andnElectoral Matters, the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has rejected the annual budgetary provision of N40 billion, stressing that elections in Nigeria have become huge burden, needing adequate funding.

The INEC boss in his presentation before the joint committee chaired by Senator Sarafadeen Alli said detailed documents have been presented for the lawmakers to look into.

“Our proposal for the 2025 budget, the provision requires the sum of over N126 billion.

“We have the document that has provided details line by line on how we intended to spend the 126 billion.

“We would like the support of the National to enable us to achieve our responsibilities in the first line charge and most of these responsibilities are constitutional.

“In a nutshell, the N40billion budget envelope given us for 2025 , will not cover 1/3 of projected expenses which totally amounts to over N126 billion .

“Aside the off – cycle elections for 21 constituencies to be filled through bye – elections and the Anambra Governorship election this year, personnel cost alone on account of new minimum wage, will eat up the N40billion budgetary envelope”, he said .

He added that the inadequacy of the N40 billion budget envelope made the electoral body to get intervention funds of N10.5 billion for Edo and Ondo elections in 2024 and another N500 million for bye – elections on affected constituencies in 2024.

Apparently convinced by the proposal of INEC , members of the joint committee , one after the other , assured the electoral body that the proposed sum, shall be appropriated for, in the 2025 fiscal election.

Specifically, Senator Ireti Kingibe ( LP FCT) , said ” the situation at hand is not about looking for the N126 billion for INEC in 2025 fiscal year but providing it”.

The joint Committee thereafter, went into closed door session with the INEC Chairman and Federal Commissioners on how to source for the fund and appropriate it , in the 2025 budget.