January 3, 2015
by Dayo Oketola,
Fisayo Falodi, Ade
Adesomoju and
Jesusegun Alagbe
Six weeks to this
year’s general
elections, the
Federal
Government has
yet to appropriate
the remaining
N75bn out of the
N120bn budgeted
for the conduct of
the poll by the
Independent
National Electoral
Commission.
This, according to
social
commentators,
lawyers, and
other concerned
stakeholders is
already hampering
the INEC’s
preparations for
the much awaited
elections.
Saturday
PUNCHlearnt that
INEC had
estimated that it
would need
N120bn to prepare
for the elections,
but only N45bn
was appropriated
by the Budget
Office of the
Federation in 2014
budget, leaving a
shortfall of N75bn.
The House of
Representatives
had recently
raised concerns
over the general
elections, saying
that adequate
funding and
security would
determine the
credibility of the
polls.
The House
Committee on
Electoral Matters
said it had
resolved to
summon the
Chairman of INEC,
Prof. Attahiru
Jega, to brief the
lawmakers on the
preparedness of
the commission
to conduct the
poll.
Chairman of the
committee, Mr.
Jerry Manwe, in an
exclusive
interview with
one of our
correspondents,
said while
Nigerians
expected INEC to
conduct credible
polls, they were
not asking
questions about
the funding
available to the
commission and
the “disturbing
insecurity
situation in some
parts of the
country.”
Manwe said, “We
expect a credible,
free and fair polls,
but this will again
depend on funding
of INEC and
security.
“My committee
will summon Jega
to brief us on the
INEC’s preparation
for the elections.
Jega has to come
and meet with
the committee
because there are
sensitive issues
we have to look
at, one of them is
insecurity.
“Funding and
security play a
role in the
credibility of any
election. So, we
will have to look
at all these with
the INEC
chairman.
