President Bola Tinubu says the building a new headquarters for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike shows his administration’s support for the electoral umpire’s autonomy.
Mr Tinubu, inaugurated the construction of a new INEC annex office to complement its current headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday. He said the project “is not merely about brick and mortar, it is about the strength of our democracy, the independence of our institutions, and the future of our electoral integrity.
“INEC has been and remains the backbone of Nigeria’s democratic journey. Its role in conducting free, fair, and credible elections is central to the roles our people play in their government and in our democratic process.
“For this reason, it is only right that such a pivotal institution is housed in a structure that reflects the dignity, responsibility, and national significance of that institution. The new headquarters is a clear signal of our unwavering support for INEC’s autonomy, capacity, and growth.”
Mr Tinubu pledged his administration’s commitment to ensuring that INEC was fully equipped to carry out its constitutional mandate.
The president commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for initiating the project.
In his remarks, the FCT minister said that the project was part of the renovation and construction of public buildings approved by the FEC to reduce the shortage of accommodation.
He assured Mr Tinubu that the project would be given the needed attention to ensure it is completed before the end of his tenure.
INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, also spoke during the inauguration. He said said the commission had been grappling with inadequate office accommodation for a long time, as the current headquarters, built in 1997, had been “severely congested.”
Mr Yakubu said the headquarters was initially planned to cater for eight commission members – the chairman, seven full-time national commissioners, 10 departments/directorates and 500 staff members.
“Today, there are 13 full-time commission members – a chairman and 12 national commissioners, 22 departments/directorates and 1,048 staff,” he stated.
Mr Yakubu dismissed concerns on why FCTA was building an office for a supposedly independent commission.
He stated that this was not the first time the FCTA had constructed an office for the commission, but the third time in the last 34 years.
The INEC chairman said that when the commission relocated its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 1991, it was the FCTA that provided offices in Garki to accommodate the headquarters.
Mr Yakubu said INEC’s main building would remain the commission’s national headquarters, while the new building would be an annex to the main building.
