By Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has asked the federal government to explain the allocation of N18 billion for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to facilitate the conduct of Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi elections.
The TMG stated this on Thursday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the upcoming November 11 gubernatorial elections in the three states.
According to the group, the allocation came as a surprise because the INEC had earlier announced that the funds for the elections were already in its coffers.
“The allocation of a whooping ₦18 billion for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to facilitate the conduct of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi elections is completely shocking as INEC had assured that the funds for the off-cycle elections were parts of funds received ahead of the general election.
“To this end, the Commission had since gone ahead to perfect preparations for the election without any complaints about funding. What part of the election is this supplementary budget of N18 billion looking to cover? Nigerians perceive this allocation as very suspicious and fear that it could be an allocations to perpetrate malpractices.
“Hence, the federal government must explain this huge sum to Nigerians and why it is budgeting again for what has already been budgeted,” the group said.
It further reminded the INEC that many Nigerians were hoping to see the changes in its operations, drawing from the lessons learned during the 2023 general elections.
“Nigerians are keenly interested in these forthcoming elections to see how INEC has improved on lessons learned from the 2023 general election or if the elections are simply going to take a cue from the February and March elections.
“It is a break or make dice for INEC in the eyes of the public. Hence, Nigerians are hoping for a transparent election where the courts will no longer be the determinants of election results in Nigeria. It is in line with this belief that TMG shares in the view of Femi Falana (SAN) that election results should be decided by the election management body and not the judiciary.”
