The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, has appealed to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, for increased and consistent funding to strengthen the Commission’s operations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan made the appeal on Tuesday, during a courtesy visit to the RMAFC Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, in Abuja, describing the visit as part of ongoing efforts to deepen collaboration between the two federal bodies.
He said INEC’s constitutional mandate covers the conduct of elections for the offices of the President, Vice President, National Assembly, State Governors, State Houses of Assembly, and the Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, as well as continuous voter registration and the registration of political parties.
The INEC Chairman noted that the cost of conducting governorship elections alone exceeds the combined cost of Presidential and National Assembly elections, and that the Commission also bears the financial burden of pre-election and post-election matters, including election petitions arising from party primaries.
He explained that INEC maintains offices across all 36 states and the FCT, as well as in all 774 local government areas, with the Federal Government currently bearing the full cost of these nationwide operations.
Amupitan stressed the need for improved welfare packages for INEC staff, noting that competitive remuneration remains essential to retaining skilled personnel and sustaining institutional efficiency.
He observed that the Commission had, in recent times, lost some experienced staff to migration, attributing the trend in part to inadequate remuneration,
