The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Thursday rolled out plans for the expenditures for the 2023 general election.
According to the commission’s 2023 General Election Project Plan that was unfolded Thursday, an average of N239.2bn will be used to purchase voting materials and vehicles that will be used during the election.
INEC, in Abuja, explained that 78.44 per cent of its total budget of N305bn would cater to 10 crucial needs.
The needs are: ballot papers, operational vehicles, ballot boxes, allowances of ad hoc workers, the printing of result sheets, logistics, and procurement of accreditation devices.
The commission also set aside N27.1bn for possible run-off elections which also reflected in the N239.2bn.
Run-off elections are conducted if there is no clear winner in a general poll.
According to the plan of the commission, the highest single component is the purchase of accreditation machines. This will be bought at N105.2bn while the allowance for ad hoc workers who are expected to exceed one million people will be N23.7bn.
Election logistics will take N23bn while INEC will also spend N20.6bn on the printing of ballot papers and N12.7bn on the procurement of non-sensitive materials.
The commission also set aside N9.5bn for the printing of result sheets, N7.8bn for the procurement of ballot boxes and a separate N5.39bn for the same purpose.
The electoral body will also spend N3.9bn for the procurement of operational vehicles.
Recall that the previous general election was wrapped up for N189bn owing to the fact that the country which had 84 million registered voters and 199, 973 polling units in 2019 is expected to have about 100 million voters and 176, 846 polling units in the coming election.
Meanwhile, the commission on Thursday assured the nation that no amount of security challenges would stop the conduct of the 2023 general election.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this during the public presentation of the 2022-2026 strategic plan and the 2023 Election Project Plan in Abuja.
Recall that Elder statesman, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), recently urged the country to jettison the idea of election in 2023.
He further called for an interim national government that would later birth a new constitution to guide the elections.
Others had also expressed fears over the security situation in the North-West and the South-East which could scuttle the elections.
The commission also said that about one million electoral officials, both regular and ad hoc staff, would be deployed to 176,846 polling units in 8,809 wards and 774 Local Government Areas in the country.
He said, “As you may be aware, the election will be conducted for 1,491 constituencies nationwide made up of one presidential constituency, 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal constituencies, 28 governorship elections and 993 state constituencies.
“The election will involve an estimated one million electoral officials (both permanent and temporary or ad hoc staff) deployed to 176,846 polling units in 8,809 Wards and 774 Local Government Areas across the country.”
The election, he noted, would be governed by a new Electoral Act 2022, which contains many progressive provisions that will enhance the capacity of the commission to conduct elections and manage the electoral process better.
“We have carefully listened to the demand of Nigerians for seamless processes, particularly with regard to enhanced voter education, better distribution of voters to polling units, and quality training of election personnel.
He also listed the functionality of electronic devices, improved logistics, prompt commencement of polls, and availability of assistive devices for persons with disability at polling units and greater transparency in result management.
Yakubu said the commission was aware of the security challenges and their impact on the electoral process.
He pledged that it would continue to engage early and intensely with the security agencies to ensure the safety of our personnel and materials, accredited observers and the media and, above all, the voters
