Section 15, Part 1 of Schedule 3 to the 1999 constitution mandates INEC to undertake and supervise all elections.
Achieving this fundamental assignment requires huge funding no doubt, hence it would be wrong to conclude that the sum of N242bn will be too much to conduct elections into two tiers of government. There are governorship elections in 30 states, 360 and 109 seats in the two chambers of the National Assembly cutting across the 36 states of the federation and the Presidential election.
Although, with over 70 million voters in 2015, the commission’s budget was N108.8bn, so spending N242bn to conduct the same elections for over 73 million voters may raise dust. But certain prevailing factors in the socio-economic space must be taken into cognisance, including the need to provide voting points for emerging residential areas across the country, the challenge of security which is daily becoming an issue and more importantly, the unprecedented rate of inflation. For instance, during the 2015 general elections, a litre of petrol was sold for N97, now it costs between N142-N145. There is also the astronomical increase in the prices of other commodities.
If we attempt a comparative analysis of elections in other climes including advanced democracies with the advantage of technology, it’s a colossal sum of money.
What should be of major concern to Nigerians is what it would cost individuals who emerge as candidates and political party’s to prosecute the 2019 elections.
We should also be concerned about the source of funding INEC as an independent institution to make it truly independent. May I therefore submit that we should establish an ‘ Election Trust Fund ‘ where a certain percentage of government statutory revenue will go monthly. People in elective or appointive political office should also be made to pay about two per cent of their monthly pay into such an account.
The argument will no longer be how much government is funding election, but how much INEC has in its vault to conduct elections. Above all, combating corruption must be sustained to enhance accountability and transparency in public institutions. •Adenitan Akinola (A former Special Assistant to the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly)
There is an increase of approximately 19 per cent compared to the 2015 election budget. This is justified when compared to the current state of insecurity in the nation fueled by politically sponsored killings around the country.
There is an increase in the number of personnel, more-so, due to the increase in the rate of the dollar to the naira and since most of the equipment being used is mostly imported, it is crystal clear that the increase is justifiable.
The government has no choice than to increase the election budget for effective preparation, monitoring and to conduct a free and fair election.
The need for credible elections at the national and state levels cannot be overemphasised. It will boost investors’ confidence in the national economy as well as stabilise our democracy.
At the state level, as I said when I visited and sought the blessings of the Emir of Shonga, Dr. Haliru Yahaya, for my governorship ambition, it is important that we have credible election at the state level also.
For instance, a good look at Kwara State will tell you that while other states are progressing, we are retrogressing. Our state is in a state of reverse. Very soon, if all hands are not on deck, the ship of the state might sink. All of us who are of good conscience from this state have to stand up and prevent this from happening. We need good hands; we need people that will captain the ship of this state to a shore that would benefit all Kwarans.
The problem we have in Kwara is that apart from the incompetence of those at the helm of affairs, the poverty rate is on the increase. INEC requires proper funding to ensure credible elections. We must also note that the funds in question are not for INEC alone, security agencies such as the police, civil defence and other agencies also have their budgets included in what was submitted by the President. • Alhaji Shuaibu Abdullahi (Kwara State governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress)
It is completely unjustifiable. Nothing justifies this budget. Comparisons have been made with the previous election budget. What caused the dramatic upward review? This is not an isolated incident. Look at the budget of recurrent expenditure by this government. It cuts across board.
This tendency to inflate the amount at which contracts are awarded is evident. They would have padded the budget with opportunity for those who want to build up a war chest. Usually, they will tell you that the budget is higher because of the exchange rate. When you make capital expenditure, you don’t repeat it on an annual basis. You don’t buy card readers for every election. You don’t buy equipment for every election; you don’t buy vehicles every year. Doing so means you are being clever by half. What happened to the ones used in 2015?
What was the capital component of the budget in 2015? Let’s see if it has been repeated in this budget. What they said about the exchange rate is right but if you want to make a comparison, there is no reason to repeat the kind of expenditure that was undertaken in 2015 because a large portion of it went into capital expenditure such as card readers. These are not things you buy annually or in every election.
Even the budget for security in the election is suspicious. The N300m meant for buying food and drugs for dogs which was put forward by the civil defence and the N7m meant for feeding 50 horses as claimed by the police should have been part of the security budget and not with the election budget. The police budget should be part of the police budget. I am sure there will be duplications of some items which will be in the main police budget and at the same time in the election budget. That is why the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation released a damning report on the financial recklessness of this government. I have been the chief executive of a Federal Government agency and I know that this is not how a budget is done. It is like the police inserting a budget for uniforms in the election budget.
That would be scandalous. You cannot put the same item in two separate budgets. •Akin Osuntokun (Spokesman, Coalition for Nigeria Movement)
The budget of President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 elections is meant to cover the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies. This is fine.
The controversy, however, is the request for virement of the amount from funds already budgeted for projects. You cannot separate what is happening from the fight between the executive and the legislature.
A lot of suspicion is on concerning both institutions. At this rate, it is difficult to give an opinion on the justification for the amount being asked for. In the main, no amount is too much to achieve free and fair election under a secure environment.
The problem at this point is that the virement being sought for has to do with the constituency projects smuggled into the 2018 budget by the members of the National Assembly. The question is now whether or not the National Assembly will approve this request for virement or risk the elections in its entirety.
There has to be an understanding between the executive and the legislature for the sake of good governance and democracy. •Dr Konrad Welson (Lecturer, Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Delta State)
We all know that elections in this country are very expensive for the government, political parties and individual contestants.
What is important is to get value for money. Is the money they are asking for going to be used for the purposes listed?
There is the need to further enlighten Nigerians on the budget and how it is going to be used, the government must begin to be accountable. That will go a long way to build public confidence in the system and reduce suspicion. •Chief Chekwas Okorie (National Chairman, United Peoples Party)
Compiled by: Success Nwogu, Simon Utebor, Femi Makinde, Eniola Akinkuotu
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