By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has demanded a two hundred percent increase in its 2025 budget allocation, saying thr N40 billion earmarked for it is insufficient.
Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made this demand during a budget defence meeting with the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Friday.
Yakubu told the Senator Sarafadeen Alli (APC, Oyo South)-led committee that the increment was necessary due to the huge burden of organising elections in Nigeria.
He said, “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 N40 billion budget envelope given us for 2025 will not cover one-third 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 N40 billion budgetary envelope.”
He disclosed that the commission had to seek intervention funds of N10 billion to conduct Edo and Ondo governorship elections in 2024 and another N500million for bye – elections in affected constituencies in 202 because the N40billion budget envelope was inadequate for the task.
Reacting to his request, members of the committee assured him that the proposed sum , shall be appropriated for in the 2025 budget.
The meeting then went into a closed door session.