Elections: Delay in release of funds can affect planning ― INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the commission depends on the government for funding and any delay with the release of funds can negatively impact on its preparations for the conduct of elections and can create anxiety within the polity.

Head of Certified Trainer, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs Hajia Garba Safia, made this known during a two-day Zonal Training organised for Electoral Security Personnel for Kogi 2019 Governorship Election
supported by the European Centre for Electoral support which took place in Okene, Kogi central Kogi State.

At the programme which ended on Wednesday, Safia noted that although INEC enjoys financial autonomy and, since the amendments of the Electoral Act 2019, INEC draws directly from the Consolidated Revenue of the Federation.

But she said this positive change in the funding regime of INEC, the body still depends on the political will of the executive and the internal administrative processes of the Budget and Finance Ministries for early release of funds for elections.

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“Delays with the release of the fund can negatively impact on INEC preparations and create anxiety within the polity. In the light of increasing concerns about the rising costs of elections associated with the cost of hardware components of technology and the huge administrative costs of running elections, issues of inadequate budgets and late release of funds may pose as challenges in the electoral environment that can play out in electoral security.

She further stressed that the perception that security agencies are partial and lack neutrality in the electoral process can be a real source of discord, tension and violence in the electoral process.

She noted that the general perception that the Police, in particular, is corrupt could have implication for the level of public confidence in the institutions in the context of providing electoral security.

“However, recognising that there is no alternative to the deployment of security agencies under the control of the police in providing electoral security, she said it implies that control efforts need to be made on the part of the police and other security agencies to increase public confidence in the agencies.

“Electoral security should, therefore, be provided on the basis of professionalism of security agencies and loyalty to the nation as envisaged in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’ she pleaded.