The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has raised concerns about the rising cost of conducting elections in Nigeria, calling the expenses excessive and burdensome. Yakubu made this statement on Friday while defending INEC’s 2024 budget implementation before the National Assembly. He emphasized that the increasing financial strain is undermining the commission’s ability to conduct free and fair elections efficiently.
Yakubu revealed that INEC, despite being one of Nigeria’s largest employers, is operating on a significantly reduced budget of ₦40 billion. This amount is far lower than the ₦80 billion the commission initially requested. According to Yakubu, this funding shortfall is putting considerable pressure on INEC’s operations, particularly as it strives to meet the demands of Nigeria’s growing electoral processes.
The INEC chairman also addressed the challenge of conducting elections year-round, citing the continuous need for election-related activities that place a heavy burden on the commission’s resources. He urged lawmakers to take action and organize a retreat where both the legislature and INEC could collaborate on finding sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s electoral funding issues. “We need a major conversation, the commission cannot continue conducting elections all year round,” Yakubu said, calling for a more structured and feasible approach to electoral funding.
Yakubu pointed out that the financial constraints are not limited to election costs alone. He also highlighted the poor state of INEC’s infrastructure, revealing that 860 of the commission’s buildings across the country are in need of urgent repairs. This deterioration in infrastructure, he explained, has further compounded the commission’s operational challenges and added to the financial strain it is facing.
To address these issues, Yakubu urged the National Assembly to ensure the approval of INEC’s proposed ₦126 billion budget for the coming year. He stressed that this budget is essential for the commission to carry out its responsibilities without further financial difficulties. The proposed budget, he argued, would provide the necessary resources to improve both INEC’s infrastructure and its ability to conduct elections effectively.
As Nigeria heads into another election cycle, the financial challenges facing INEC have sparked debates on how best to manage the costs of democracy while ensuring free and fair elections. Lawmakers are now under pressure to respond to Yakubu’s request and find ways to balance the need for electoral transparency with the realities of Nigeria’s fiscal constraints.
