Overcrowded INEC office forced us into rented spaces for decade – Yakubu

By Ukpono Ukpong

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has revealed that severe congestion at the Commission’s current headquarters forced it to rent additional office spaces for over a decade.

He made the disclosure yesterday, at the groundbreaking ceremony of INEC’s new annex building in Abuja.

Yakubu noted that the existing national headquarters, commissioned in 1997, was initially built to accommodate a much smaller structure, only eight commission members, 10 departments, and 500 staff.

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“For a long time, the Commission has been grappling with the problem of inadequate office accommodation.

“Our present National Headquarters is severely congested. Commissioned in December 1997, it was originally planned to cater for eight Commission members. That is a chairman and seven full-time commissioners, 10 departments and directorates, and 500 staff. Since then, the activities of the Commission have become more extensive and the staff strength at the Headquarters has more than doubled.

“Today, there are 13 full-time Commission members, a chairman and 12 national commissioners, 22 departments and directorates, and 1,048 staff.

“Consequently, every facility is overstretched, from offices to meeting rooms for the Commission’s 15 standing committees and other activities, including regular engagements with stakeholders. General staff meetings always take place outside the Commission.” He lamented.

According to him, the Commission was compelled to rent two buildings in Wuse 2 to mitigate the accommodation crisis.

Stressing that efforts to find a lasting solution had spanned 10 years until the Federal Capital Territory Minister intervened.

Furthermore, the INEC boss, described the new building as a vital expansion, equipped with conference rooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium, and offices for IT-based operations, including the Election Monitoring and Support Center.

In a forward-looking gesture, the new facility will also house a museum chronicling Nigeria’s electoral history.

“As the end user of the facility, our technical team submitted the concept of the proposed building to the Federal Capital Territory, and that is what the FCT is currently executing. We made provision for offices, meeting rooms, conference rooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium, and offices for some of our IT-based facilities, such as the Election Monitoring and Support Center.

“Beyond these facilities, the building has provision for a museum to serve as a repository for the fiscal and digital history of elections and electoral activities in Nigeria. This will afford citizens, particularly students, that regularly visit the Commission on Excursion, the opportunity to appreciate the evolution of our electoral history, as is the case in major jurisdictions around the world.” he explained.

Despite the development, Yakubu affirmed that the existing building opposite the site will remain the Commission’s official headquarters, with the new annex serving as a critical complement to operations.

While describing the project as a personal milestone after a decade-long pursuit, Yakubu expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for not only approving the project but also personally performing the groundbreaking.

He also acknowledged the support of the National Assembly, political parties, and key stakeholders for their cooperation.

The INEC boss described the day as “very special,” marking a turning point in the Commission’s operational history.

“After almost 10 years of persistent effort, the construction of the INEC annex building is finally a reality,” he stated with satisfaction.

With construction now officially underway, both Yakubu and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike emphasized the building’s role in strengthening electoral integrity, institutional efficiency, and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Addressing the gathering, Wike, reaffirmed that the project was a directive of President Bola Tinubu and awarded by the Federal Executive Council, not the FCT.

He clarified that the new annex, though being executed under the FCT’s supervision, was approved by the Federal Executive Council in March 2025.

“Our role is to supervise through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA),” he clarified.

Wike listed several other federal infrastructure projects approved by the President, including the renovation of the National Assembly chambers and the construction of judicial facilities, as part of Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to addressing infrastructure gaps.

Speaking further, he pledged the timely delivery of the INEC headquarters project before the end of President Tinubu’s first tenure.

“I want to assure you that this structure will be given all the time it is required to see that during your first tenure, this project is completed. You can be assured that we’ll do that, and with the kind of support you’ve given to us, we’ll make sure that the contractor delivers.” Wike assured.