INEC To Spend N92.904 Billion In 2015 Election – Chairman Jega
Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), maintained the Commission would require N92.904billion to conduct the 2015 general elections. The Chairman also hinted that INEC is already preparing for the ucoming elections between January and February 2015.
The Chairman also stated that if the security situation in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states did not improve before that date, elections would not hold in the area.
Jega made a presentation in Abuja on Monday at a Stakeholders' Public hearing on preparations and challenges ahead of the 2015 General Elections, organized by the Senate Committee on INEC in collaboration with the Abuja-based Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC), and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) Nigeria.
Jega disclosed the Commission currently has a total of 73.5 million registered voters for the 2015 elections, and INEC would spend $7.9 each voter.
Jega said: "We do recognize that organizing elections is only one of many things requiring funding by government. But the centrality of elections to our collective future is also clear.
"In preparing for the forthcoming elections, one guiding principle for the Commission has been to make elections more cost-effective and to give Nigerians better value for money. Our estimate is that the cost of election per voter, which is an international standard for viewing the cost of elections, is coming down in Nigeria.
"We project that for the 2015 elections, this would come further down by almost $1-from $8.8 in 2011 to $7.9, representing almost a 10 percent drop. This compares favorably with some other African countries. However, we are anxious about getting all our funding requirementsbeing met well in advance of the 2015 general elections."
According to Jega, INEC has, ahead of 2015, made adequate preparations to prevent a reoccurrence of its weaknesses in the 2011 polls. To achieve this, Jega stated that the Commission has given itself three focal points which are in the areas of structure, policy and plan. He said that in the structure plan, INEC is looking at the structure of the Commission as an institution, it’s processes, as well as its human resources.
INEC will also focus on developing new policies to guide the Commission’s work and create the right normative framework for the successful election management in Nigeria. The planning aspect, Jega maintains, would center on both strategic and election planning.
The INEC boss explained that the challenges ahead of the Commission are in the areas of insecurity, funding, attitude of the political class and an inactive citizenry. The residual problems of the Commission include: delay in Amendment to the legal framework such as the Constitution and the Electoral Act; completion of the review of Electoral Constituencies and polling units and Prosecution of Election Offenders.
Senate Committee Chairman on INEC, Andy Uba in his welcome address, said the experiences and reports on the conduct of the general elections, shows that there will be need to revisit the Electoral Act 2010. He also stated that there may be a need to address any observed lapses in order to strenghten the election management body so that it can deliver on the expectations of Nigerians in the 2015 and achieve free, fair and credible general election.
The Senate Committee however relieved comments on the issue of diaspora voting, Rights of election day workers; possibility of e-voting and making adequate provisions for persons living with any form of disability to vote.
Source: Legit.ng
