INEC seeks N5.2bn to augment 2020 budget

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sought approval to source N5.2billion to augment the 2020 budget.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the request in his presentation to the Senate Committee on INEC during the 2021 budget defence on Wednesday.

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The INEC boss said the money would be sourced from INEC Special Intervention Fund which had been accruing since 2010.

Besides, he said 2020 had been challenging with the COVID-19 pandemic, which he noted, led to the cutting down of the budget from N40 billion to N36 billion.

“If we don’t do that we won’t be able to meet up with our commitment for the year.

“There is tremendous pressure on our fund. The fund is N10 billion. We have not withdrawn from the fund since 2010; we have been saving for the rainy day. We believe the rainy day has come.”

Yakubu also noted that the high volume of cases involving the commission had eaten deeply into its finances.

BusinessDay learnt there are 860 pre-election and 807 post-election cases involving the commission with over 400 appeals arising from them.

“We are inching towards 700 cases and it is rising every day. When people go to court they join INEC,” Yakubu said.

The INEC chairman said the continuous voter registration exercise would begin in the first quarter of next year with N1 billion budget.

Yakubu proposed a budget of N40 billion for 2021 – the same figure for 2020 budget.

He said the figure was retained in response to the global challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic with a shortage of funds.

“The funds are not enough across the board but, we will manage what we have.

He explained that the increase in personnel cost from N20.3 billion in 2020 to N23.2 billion in 2021 was due to the increase in the minimum wage.

Responding to a question from Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), Yakubu said the commission was working with relevant agencies to prepare a special salary scale for workers for improved welfare.