Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has voiced worries about the high expense of holding elections in Nigeria, calling it cumbersome and excessive.
He said this while defending the 2024 budget execution in front of the National Assembly on Friday.
He underlined how this has put a financial burden on the commission’s capacity to efficiently fulfil its duties.
Despite being one of the biggest employers in the nation, INEC only had a N40 billion budget, much less than the N80 billion that was originally proposed, Prof. Yakubu pointed out.
To tackle these obstacles, he urged the lawmakers to plan a retreat where INEC and the legislature could work together, share ideas, and resolve urgent problems impacting Nigeria’s election process.
“We need a major conversation; the commission cannot continue conducting elections all year round,” he said.
Yakubu also bemoaned the status of INEC’s facilities, pointing out that the organization’s 860 buildings nationwide that are in dire need of renovation.
He asked the National Assembly to make sure the electoral board, which has now proposed a budget of 126 billion naira, has enough money.
