By Chris Udochukwu
Abuja (Precise Post) – The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) has expressed optimism that funds due to the commission will be released on time so as to aid its preparations for the elections.
Recall that the commission had on December 20, 2021 presented a budget of N305bn to the National Assembly, saying this was independent of the N40bn yearly budget of the commission, which includes expenditure for off-season elections.
Yakubu noted that N100bn had been released to the commission, remaining N205bn.
When asked for an update on the commission’s level of preparation, Okoye said, “The commission has defended its 2023 budget before the Appropriations Committee of the National Assembly.
“We are hopeful that funds due to the commission will be released on time. One of the new innovations in the bill is for funds of the commission to be released at least a year to a general election.
We hope that the approving and releasing authorities will follow this timeline in the release of funds to the commission.”
Yakubu had said the N140bn was broken into two. “We take it that N40bn is our regular budget as an agency of government and N100bn is the first tranche of the 2022 budget.
We have gone ahead to make provisions accordingly,” he added.
