Nigeria INEC Chairman Calls for Federation Account Funding

The Chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, has called for significant financial reforms to ensure the commission's independence and guarantee credible elections. Speaking at a public event in Abuja on Thursday, July 23, Amupitan stated that the commission's current reliance on the federal government's standard budgetary process weakens its ability to operate effectively and undermines public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan argued that, despite constitutional provisions funding INEC through the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the existing arrangement does not provide true financial autonomy because the commission remains subject to the annual appropriation process and the "envelope" budgeting system of the federal government. He proposed that INEC should instead be funded directly from the Federation Account to achieve seamless operations and "operational efficiency." He explained that the commission's broad responsibilities, which include conducting all federal and state elections, registering voters and political parties, and maintaining the national voter register, make the current funding structure...