INEC Needs N126bn To Save Democracy – PAACA Tells National Assembly

The Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa (PAACA) has thrown its weight behind the proposed N126 billion budget by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2025 fiscal year, describing it as critical for ensuring credible elections in Nigeria.

In a statement released on Tuesday, PAACA’s Executive Director, Ezenwa Nwagwu, commended INEC for its transparency in outlining its financial requirements and providing a detailed expenditure breakdown to the National Assembly.

This support from PAACA comes amidst heated debates in the National Assembly over INEC’s budget proposal, which the Commission insists is essential to address the rising costs of election administration in the country.

According to Nwagwu, the proposed budget reflects the realities of electoral management in Nigeria, including funding for off-cycle elections, voter registration, and replacing destroyed materials.

“INEC currently has 14,786 career staff across its offices in all 774 local government areas, in addition to 51 political appointees, including National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC). With the recent minimum wage increment by the Federal Government and adjustments in line with the NSIWC Circular, you can imagine how much of the budget will go into salaries alone. Personnel costs already account for N85 billion of the budget,” Nwagwu stated.

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He emphasized the need for adequate funding for personnel training and voter education, as well as the financial demands of 12 off-cycle elections, including the Anambra governorship and FCT area council elections scheduled for 2025.

“Contrary to the misconception that 2025 is not an election year, INEC is preparing for significant electoral activities. Beyond elections, the Commission is responsible for voter registration, polling unit maintenance, constituency delimitation, and political party regulation,” he added.

PAACA highlighted Nigeria’s unique electoral challenges, including attacks on INEC facilities, which have destroyed over 440 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, ballot boxes, and voting cubicles that must now be replaced.

Additionally, PAACA noted the high costs associated with continuous voter registration across over 8,800 centers to ensure that eligible voters who turn 18 are not disenfranchised. Inflation, Nwagwu explained, has further escalated the costs of managing elections.

He urged the Federal Government to prioritize the early release of funds to enable INEC to plan and execute its activities effectively, particularly the Anambra governorship election.

PAACA also called on the National Assembly to approve the budget without unnecessary cuts, stressing that the financial allocation is vital for strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and ensuring credible elections.