The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has called for an increase in the Commission’s budget for 2025 to effectively carry out its mandate. He made this appeal on Friday, January 10, 2025, during a budget defense session with the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters at the National Assembly.
Prof. Yakubu highlighted the financial challenges INEC faced in 2024, where the N40 billion allocated to the Commission was insufficient to cover operational activities. He explained that the amount was barely enough to handle personnel costs and statutory social contributions, leaving critical programs such as the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and voter redistribution unfunded. “Although we received the full allocation for 2024, it was only sufficient to pay consolidated salaries, allowances, and social contributions. Unfortunately, essential operations had to be postponed,” he said.
The Chairman also disclosed that INEC had to seek an additional N10.5 billion from the executive to conduct the Edo and Ondo governorship elections. However, even with this supplementary funding, the Commission struggled to meet its operational demands, leaving 11 bye-elections unaddressed out of the required 20.
For 2025, Prof. Yakubu revealed that the Ministry of Finance has maintained the budget ceiling at N40 billion, despite escalating costs and operational needs. With a workforce of over 14,700 personnel, including 51 political officeholders, and the introduction of a new minimum wage, the allocation is insufficient to cover even personnel expenses adequately.
To address these shortcomings, INEC has proposed a budget of N126 billion for 2025. This amount, according to Prof. Yakubu, is necessary to fund critical areas such as off-cycle elections, the resumption of CVR, and the replacement of damaged materials. He emphasized the financial demands of upcoming elections in Anambra, Ekiti, Osun, and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as the need to establish over 8,800 CVR centers nationwide to enable eligible Nigerians to register to vote.
The Chairman also highlighted the urgent need to replace over 440 damaged Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, ballot boxes, and voting cubicles lost to attacks and fires during previous elections. Despite receiving insurance claims amounting to N205 million, these funds have been remitted to the federal treasury, leaving INEC to secure additional resources for replacements.
Additionally, Prof. Yakubu noted that many of INEC’s 860 facilities, including 774 local government offices and 37 state offices, require rehabilitation. He stressed the importance of early planning for the next general election, including voter redistribution and the procurement of necessary materials.
“This proposed budget is not just about conducting elections but ensuring that INEC’s role as an electoral body is fully supported. Our mandate extends to voter registration, political party regulation, and constituency creation,” he stated.
Addressing the high cost of elections in Nigeria, the INEC Chairman proposed sustainable funding mechanisms, such as dedicating a percentage of the Federation Account allocation to electoral activities. He also called for legislative reforms to streamline bye-elections and reduce their financial burden.
Prof. Yakubu suggested adopting practices from other countries, such as the United States, where legislative vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointments instead of costly bye-elections.
He also referenced the 2023 General Election Review Report, which contains 142 recommendations, including eight that require legislative action. Prof. Yakubu urged lawmakers to collaborate with INEC in addressing these challenges and fostering discussions about the future of election management in Nigeria.
