Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday, revealed that the electoral umpire will spend N355 billion in 2023 for general elections.
Already, N305 billion has been approved for the conduct of the 2023 general elections by the National Assembly.
However, the electoral body said it has budgeted another N50 billion for its annual budget in 2023, an increament of N10 billion compared to 2022 budget which was N40 billion as approved by the National Assembly.
Yakubu spoke when he appeared the Senate Committee on INEC.
In the 2023 budgeted submitted to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for consideration, N2.6 billion was earnmarked for off season election like Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa governorship elections respectively.
The elections for the three states will hold on November 11, 2023.
According to INEC boss “the N2.6 billion will cater for provision for elections, referenda and recalls expenses such as: Operation dept cost covering, printing of ballot papers, result sheets, printing of forms and Envelopes ,arterials and supplies , logistics expenses, honorarium for officials , supervison, RAC preparation, security /intervention support etc.
“Election ICT system support, printing of voters register for off season and bye elections , F$A Election fund management logistic,” he said.
In the 2023 nudget of the Commission, N50 million will be spent on purchase of fire fighting equipment, motor vehicles – N150 million, N250 million to repeat offices and residential building.