The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday submitted a revised 2019 election budget to the National Assembly for consideration and approval
The submission of the reviewed budget was in compliance with the directive of the National Assembly joint committee on electoral matters that the electoral body should rework its 2019 election budget based on the N143.5 billion the committee adopted for consideration.
The electoral umpire had before the adoption of the N143bn pressed for the approval of N189 billion for the elections.
President Muhammadu Buhari had requested the National Assembly to approve through a virement the sum of N143.5 billion for the conduct of the 2019 elections.
The President added that the balance of N45.6billion out of a total of N189 billion he presented will be inserted and approved in the 2019 national budget for INEC.
The joint committee after about two weeks of consideration of requests adopted the N143billion as sought by President Buhari with the explanation that the presidential letter was explicit that the N45.6billion difference was to be provided for in the 2019 budget.
Chairman of the joint committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif who announced the compliance of INEC to its directive, noted that the electoral body had sent a reviewed budget to the committee within the ambit of N143bn as directed.
Nazif also said that a sub-committee was set up to look into the details of the new budget submitted by INEC.
The sub committee, he said, is expected to complete its assignment today and submit it’s report for consideration by 4pm (Wednesday).
A member of the committee, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi gave said that the committee was determined to urgently complete work on the election budget.
Abdullahi denied insinuation that the committee was deliberately slowing down the process of the consideration of the INEC budget to frustrate push to make the National Assembly to reconvene.
Abdullahi who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, explained that part of the reason for setting up the sub-committee was to speed up the legislative processes for final approval of the election budget.