By Sunday Ameh
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has called for the commission to receive direct funding from the Federation Account, saying the move would guarantee its financial autonomy and improve the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
Amupitan made the call on Thursday in Abuja during the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023), a two-volume book authored by ThisDay Newspaper Managing Director, Eniola Bello.
He argued that although the Constitution places INEC’s funding on the first-line charge, the current budgetary process still subjects the electoral body to the federal government’s envelope budgeting system and annual appropriation process, limiting its operational independence.
According to him, the existing arrangement makes it difficult for the commission to function efficiently.
“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,” he said.
Amupitan noted that INEC’s responsibilities extend beyond conducting presidential and National Assembly elections, as it also organises governorship and state assembly elections, registers and regulates political parties, and maintains the national voters’ register.
He added that governorship and state assembly elections often 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. INEC should come as part of the Federation Account so that we can have seamless operations and what we call operational efficiency,” he stated.
The INEC chairman also called for further amendments to the Electoral Act to strengthen the commission’s oversight of political parties.
He said giving INEC greater regulatory powers to ensure compliance with party constitutions, the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act would help reduce the volume of pre-election disputes.
Amupitan disclosed that the commission is considering introducing a mediation mechanism to resolve internal party disputes within three months as an alternative to prolonged court litigation.
He also proposed that all disputes relating to political parties should be concluded at least one year before a general election to prevent last-minute legal battles from disrupting the electoral process.
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