The N18 billion in the 2023 Supplementary Budget, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), isn’t only for holding the three off-cycle elections.During a Wednesday appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations to defend the commission’s budget, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, disclosed this.The electoral commission plans to hold byelections in a few Federation states as well as off-cycle elections in the states of Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi.
Yakubu claims that the supplemental budget includes the costs for the three off-cycle elections as well as the bye-elections.
The INEC chairman continued, saying that staff salaries and benefits are covered in part by the N18 billion budget.
“You will remember that there was a forty percent increase in the peculiar allowance of civil servants in April of this year,” he stated.
The reason it wasn’t included in our 2023 budget is that it was approved in December of last year.
In addition, the government enhanced the Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and other incidental allowances in another circular that was issued in February. Nothing in our statutory budget is allocated for it.
“With over 15,000 employees, it is difficult to find the funds to pay without an additional budget. We thus presented the government with our case, and it was granted.
“We have made provisions for N10.6 billion, which is the salary of the 16,614 INEC employees.”
Yakubu continued by saying that there was not enough funding for the electoral commission to hold certain bye-elections.
Yakubu stated that INEC must hold by-polls to fill 11 vacancies, seven in the national assembly and four in state assemblies, and that there is not enough funding to hold the elections.
In order for the commission to concentrate on the ones that are funded, the INEC chairman expressed his hope that there won’t be another by-election.
“A lot of honorable members have asked us: ‘There are vacancies in the House of Representatives.'” he stated. Why are there no by-elections held by INEC? The conduct of these unplanned and unbudgetary by-elections is not covered by any budgetary provisions.
“Few Nigerians will accept that eleven vacancies have arisen in just four months following the establishment of the national and state assemblies. Four months and eleven byelections. Regretfully, the House of Representatives is the source of the majority,” he remarked.
The House of Representatives has five open seats. Three were brought on by honorable members’ resignations, while two were caused by deaths.
There are openings in two senatorial districts and four state seats around the nation.
Because there are only three senatorial districts in each of Nigeria’s states, holding three senatorial byelections is similar to holding a governorship election every time.
“Few Nigerians will accept that eleven vacancies have arisen in just four months following the establishment of the national and state assemblies. Four months and eleven byelections. Regretfully, the House of Representatives is the source of the majority,” he remarked.
The House of Representatives has five open seats. Three were brought on by honorable members’ resignations, while two were caused by deaths.
There are openings in two senatorial districts and four state seats around the nation.
Because there are only three senatorial districts in each of Nigeria’s states, holding three senatorial byelections is similar to holding a governorship election every time.
We therefore need to arrange for the holding of by-elections in 11 constituencies: two senatorial districts, four state constituencies, and five federal constituencies. N1.6 billion has been allocated for this purpose.
