2019 election: NASS approves N189bn INEC Budget

The National Assembly yesterday resolved to approve the entire N189.2 billion elections budget proposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, in view of realities on ground ahead of the 2019 general elections.

This was even as President Muhammadu Buhari in a fresh letter dated 19th September, 2018, requested the federal lawmakers to approve the entire N189bn elections budget for INEC along with N53bn for various security agencies totalling N242.4 billion.

The President in the letter addressed to both chambers of the National Assembly and read on the floor of the Senate yesterday said : ‘‘In the light of the current realities, and in order to ensure that the 2019 general elections are not affected by any delays in the passage into law of the 2019 budget, I wish to formally request that the total amount of N242, 445, 322,600.00bn requested by INEC and the security agencies be considered for inclusion in my virement request under the 2018 Appropriation Act.’’ Recall that the President had in an earlier letter forwarded to the National Assembly, requested the law makers to approve only N143 billion for INEC this year with the intension of capturing the balance of N45.6 billion in the 2019 budget for the electoral body which was concurred to by committees of both chambers on INEC in September.

However with the latest request by the President, Appropriation committees of both chambers are jettisoning report of the committee on INEC by approving the entire N189 billion elections budget for INEC for virement in the 2018 budget.

Addressing journalists on the latest development, the Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje ( APC Gombe Central), said the committee after exhaustive debate on report of joint committee on INEC and President Buhari’s latest letter, decided to approve the entire N189 billion elections budget for INEC.

According to him, the decision was sequel to reasons adduced by Mr President in the latest letter.

‘‘This committee has approved the entire N189bn elections budget INEC proposed for the 2019 polls which will be tabled on the floors of both chambers today for final approval.

‘‘The other components of the N242bn the President requested to be vired in the 2018 budget for conduct of the 2019 general elections will be considered today after meeting heads of the affected security agencies like the National Security Adviser, Babagana Mungono, Inspector General of Police , Ibrahim Idris, Director General of Department of State Services etc” , he said .

Goje further said that the committee was granting Buhari’s request of N189billion to enable INEC conduct the 2019 election to be reflected in the 2018 budget, adding “The 2018 budget would be amended to accommodate the sum N189,207,544,893 INEC budget.

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