Controversy trails INEC’s budget for 2019 polls

…Buhari requested for N143bn virement, NASS insists
…INEC boss: No, we sent N189bn estimate to Presidency
…Reps query N28.6bn to pay ad hoc staff
…Senate, INEC to reconcile records today, warns against ‘briefcase’ parties
Controversy is now trailing the budget for the 2019 general elections, following the disparity in the N143 billion request forwarded from the Presidency to the National Assembly for consideration and approval and the figure of N189 billion requested from the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While the electoral umpire at a meeting with the Senate Committee on INEC to defend its budget for the polls insisted that the amount of funds it requested from the Federal Government for the conduct of next year’s elections is N189, 207, 544, 893, 00, the Senate committee revealed that what it has before it from the Presidency is N143billion, a difference of N46.2billion.

Based on this huge differential, the Senate Committee on INEC at the end of Wednesday’s meeting, directed the INEC management to be specific in its request for funds for the successful conduct of the 2019 general elections when it appears before the committee today.

The controversy arose when the management of INEC appeared before the committee to defend its budget of N189, 207, 544, 893.00 requested by the commission for the conduct of the general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, sparked off the controversy when he insisted that the total money requested for legislative approval is N189 billion while the Senate said it stands by the request for N143 billion forwarded to it by President Buhari for consideration.

In a letter dated July 11, 2018, titled: “Request for virement and supplementary 2018 budget,” Buhari had sought the approval of the National Assembly in spending N164,104,792, 065.00 through virement or supplementation of the 2018 budget as urgent need for the conduct of the polls.

Out of the amount, the Presidency allocated to INEC the lion’s share of N143, 512, 529, 455 while other agencies, such as the office of the National Security Adviser, was allocated N3, 855, 500, 000;

Department of States Security (DSS) got N2, 903, 638, 000; the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was allocated N1, 845, 597, 000; Police got N11,457, 417, 432 and the Nigeria Immigration Service was allocated N530, 110, 178.

To complete INEC’s request, the President said in the letter that the balance of N45, 695, 015, 438 be appropriated by the National Assembly in the 2019 budget.

Upon continuous observation by members of the committee, including the Senate Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye (APC/Osun Central); Attai Aidoko (PDP/Kpgi East); Ovie Omo-Agege (APC/Delta Central) and Mohammed Hassan (Yobe/South) on which figure to be considered by the Senate committee, the INEC chairman said that there was no conflict as commission submitted a proposal of N189 billion to the Presidency.

Answering repeated questions from senators, Yakubu maintained that “let me repeat my submission; what INEC asked for is N189 billion. As for which compartment you put figures, that is left to the National Assembly”.

The Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Suleiman Nazif (PDP/Bauchi), however, made it clear to the INEC team the need to be specific because the committee will only consider the President’s request of N143 billion while it will be procedurally wrong for the National Assembly to address the balance of N45 billion expenditure that would form part of the 2019 budget.

Though the interface between the Senate committee and the INEC continues today, the INEC team was advised to have an appropriate format of budget preparation and as well as make future presentations bold for committee members’ consumption.

Giving a breakdown of its N189 billion budget request, the INEC chairman said it will come under four components – election operations estimated to cost N134 billion; election technological cost of N27.5 billion; election administration cost of N22.6 billion and contingent cost of N4.6 billion.

He said that the 2019 general elections will cost N69billion more than the N120 billion expended on the 2015 polls.

Yakubu gave reasons for the increase to be an increase of 17.1 per cent in voters population of 70 million in 2015 to 82 million presently, an increase in political parties from 40 in 2015 to 91 which will be responsible for increase in the number and size of ballot papers, monitoring of parties’ nomination, congresses and conventions.

The committee chairman, Senator Nazif commended the impressive the turnout of committee members who came out of their annual recess to consider the virement and supplementary budget in the national interest.

He said that “the budget defence is a matter of urgent national importance. We will always do what is in the interest of Nigeria. This will put to rest the brouhaha over the National Assembly’s commitment. The National Assembly is committed to ensuring adequate conduct of the 2019 general election”.

Other members of the committee present at the interactive session with INEC include Senators Aliyu Sabi Abdullai (APC/Niger); Isa Gamma Missau (PDP/Bauchi); Abdullahi Gumel (APC/Jigawa North) and Mohammed Hassan (APC/Yobe South).

Also on Wednesday, the House of Representatives Committee on INEC and of House Committee on Electoral and Political Party Matters queried the N28.6 billion proposed as honoraria for 2,763,990 ad hoc staff during the 2019 general election.

From the N2.916 billion proposed for RAC preparation for the general election, the Commission proposed for RAC management/activation, N56.600 million for operation kite for 2,000 tents, N123.474 million for unstipulated number of megaphones, N6.016 billion for unspecified number of sleeping mats and N232.773 million for unspecified number of tactical torchlights respectively.

According to Yakubu, from the total sum of N189.2 billion required to conduct the polls, the sums of N134,427,868,157.50 is for election operational cost; N27,503,970,680 is for election technological cost; N22,660,887,887.50 is for election administrative cost while N4,614,818,168.13 is for miscellaneous expenses.

The lawmakers, who observed that the 2019 election budget rose by N69 billion above the N120 billion spent on the 2015 general election, also demanded explanation for the N6 billion proposed for feeding of policemen.

Other controversial sub-heads include N1.050 billion for CBN charges for storage and logistics including NAF charges; N7.995 billion for movement allowance for poll officials; N2 billion for election duty allowance;

N972 million for production of election guidelines; N40.630 million for monitoring of training of Ad-hoc staff for regulatory compliance in the states and LGAs, N5.477 billion for hiring of vehicles for Ad-hoc staff as well as N1.867 billion for security at elections.

The lawmakers also observed that in the security component of the elections budget and the regular budget of the Nigeria Police Force, there was provision to cater for police welfare while on important assignments.

Hon Shawulu said: “When policemen are sent out on assignments such as elections, they are paid. There is a budget for them and we still have N6 billion here.

“Is this one a duplication? You have put another N7bn here again for security and procurement of security vehicles. Why?”

On his part, Jonathan Gaza, said: “Why did you provide about N700 million for international observers? We know that the European Union and the United Nations, they all make provisions for their independent observer missions. Is INEC going to pay them in 2019?”

Responding, the INEC chief explained that the Commission had so far registered 12.1 million new voters, in addition to the existing 70 million, bringing the total voter population to plan for in 2019 to 82.1 million.

He added that 91 political parties have so far been registered in 2019 with a longer ballot paper.

He said, “We have to monitor the activities of all these political parties like primaries, congresses and conventions. We have to process forms for all of their candidates.

“What this means is that, if all the 91 parties will present candidates for all the categories of elections, INEC will have to produce 141,778 nomination forms.

“Again, it means we are budgeting for additional ad hoc staff, up to almost one million and still counting, because we actually have over 140 applications by associations seeking registration, awaiting consideration.”

While responding to question on the N6 billion provided for police feeding, Yakubu said it was an initiative by INEC to adequately cater for policemen and other security personnel.

“These policemen suffer a lot too and we just have to be human. If our own members of staff are eating food, it doesn’t look nice to ignore the people providing security for them.

“They escort the elections materials from point to-point and honestly, it is not easy for them. So, we have made a provision of N1, 000 for each policeman. Because of the many number that will be used for the elections, that is why the total looks big”, he added.

On the alleged duplications of subheads in the 2018 INEC budget, Yakubu explained that the commission had earlier informed the National Assembly that the 2019 elections budget would be separate from its annual statutory budget.

He explained that INEC must still function as an agency and perform other routine duties like conducting new elections, bye-elections and pay staff salaries, which were the purpose for the 2018 budget.

According to him, the Commission conducted 10 elections between January to date, adding that “as we speak, the Osun State governorship election is next.

“Many of the bye-elections were as a result of deaths, which is something INEC could not control. Remember, by the provisions of our laws, there is a time frame for INEC to fill any vacant position. All of these activities consume money. They are separate from the 2019 general elections”.