LAGOS JULY 24TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission should be funded directly from the federation account to guarantee free, fair and credible elections.
BACKGROUND
In February, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill.
The development followed the passage of the legislation by the national assembly after months of debate, review and amendments by both chambers.
Speaking shortly after signing the bill into law, Tinubu commended the national assembly for the “solid brainstorming discussions” aimed at strengthening national development and safeguarding democratic stability.
In April, the house of representatives amended the Electoral Act 2026, designating the court of appeal as the final arbiter for pre-election disputes involving state houses of assembly, the national assembly and governorship contests.
Earlier in July, the court of appeal in Abuja voided sections 77(5), (6), (7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 for being inconsistent with certain provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
In a unanimous decision, the court ruled that a subsidiary law cannot disqualify an individual already deemed qualified by the constitution
‘GOVERNORSHIP, ASSEMBLIES ELECTIONS COST INEC MORE’
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday at the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999-2023), a two-volume book authored by Eniola Bello, managing director of ThisDay Newspaper, the INEC chairman said the current budgetary process undermines the commission’s financial independence and operational efficiency.
Amupitan said although the Constitution places the commission on the first-line charge, the existing funding framework does not guarantee genuine financial autonomy.
He said INEC’s dependence on the annual appropriation process and the federal government’s envelope budgeting system makes it difficult for the electoral body to function independently.
“Experience over the years has shown that as long as INEC is still subject to the normal envelope system and the processes of appropriation, having to go to the national assembly, it is very difficult to operate in such a situation without wasting your time,” Amupitan said.
He argued that the commission’s constitutional responsibilities extend beyond conducting presidential and national assembly elections, stressing that INEC also conducts governorship and state assembly elections, and registers and regulates political parties.
He noted that the commission also maintains the national register of voters used for elections at all levels.
He said despite these nationwide responsibilities, the burden of funding the commission rests on the federal government because its finances are drawn from the consolidated revenue fund.
According to him, governorship and state assembly elections cost more to conduct than presidential and national assembly polls, making the current funding structure unsustainable.
“It is for this reason we feel that although the Constitution tried to place INEC on the first-line charge, it is not strong enough,” the INEC chairman said.
“INEC should come as part of the federation account so that we can have seamless operations and what we call operational efficiency.”
He called for further amendments to the Electoral Act to strengthen the commission’s oversight of political parties.
He said INEC should play a more active role in ensuring political parties comply with their constitutions, the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, adding that stronger regulatory powers could reduce the volume of pre-election litigation.
Amupitan said the commission is considering a mediation mechanism to resolve internal party disputes within three months as an alternative to prolonged court cases.
He also proposed that all disputes relating to political parties be concluded at least one year before a general election to prevent last-minute legal battles from disrupting the electoral process.
TheCable
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