INEC budget: NASS leadership meet Tuesday

THE leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives are to meet within the precincts of the National Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the pending issue of the election budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Sources close to the National Assembly told the Tribune Online on Monday that the joint meeting of the leadership of the two chambers comprising the Presiding officers of the two chambers as well as the Principal Officers would hold at 12 noon on Tuesday.

It was also confirmed that the Management of the National Assembly and the Management of INEC would join the meeting at 1 pm, apparently to put a lasting solution to the issue of the outstanding 2019 election budget of the INEC.

A source in the know said that the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives have agreed to a joint sitting to start at 12 noon on Tuesday adding that the meeting would be joined by the National Assembly Management and the Management of INEC at 1 pm.

It was confirmed that the meeting would thrash out all issues related to the outstanding budget of INEC for the 2019 election.

Sources close to the National Assembly have however said that the National Assembly is constrained on the request for virement to funs INEC’s budget as contained in the President’s letter.

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According to the source, the National Assembly had during the 2010 Constitution alteration process altered the Constitution of Nigeria and placed INEC on First line charge, which entails that its funds are to be received through statutory transfers.

The sources stated that asking the National Assembly to source funds for INEC other than from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federation would be illegal.

It was however stated that the National Assembly could just go ahead to approve the funds requested by ignoring the request for virement, which could amount to illegality.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on July 17, 2018, written the two chambers of the National Assembly, seeking the approval of a budget totalling N242 billion for the purpose of 2019 general elections, while also seeking the virement of some projects already inserted into the 2018 budget.

According to the President’s letter, which came into the legislature barely a week to the scheduled annual recess, the National Assembly was being requested to approve the virement of the sum of N164 billion from the 2018 budget.

Indicated that total sum of N228 billion be deducted from the N578 billion projects introduced into the budget by the National hat the said sum would be deducted from the projects worth N578 billion which the presidency claimed were inserted into the 2018 budget by the National Assembly.

The Supplementary appropriation being sought by the President also supplementary also indicated that the National Assembly should deduct the sum of N228 billion from the projects worth N578 billion included in the 2018 budget by the lawmakers.

The letter titled, “REQUEST FOR VlREMENT & SUPPLEMENTARY 2018 BUDGET” reads: “As you are aware, the 2019 General Election is scheduled to be conducted early in 2019. To ensure that adequate arrangements are made for free and fair elections, it has become necessary to appropriate funds to enable the relevant agencies to commence preparations.

INEC and the security agencies have accordingly recently submitted their requests. These have been subjected to the usual budget
evaluation. The aggregate cost of the elections is estimated at N242,445,322,600.00. “However, in the light of prevailing fiscal
constraints. I am proposing that the sum of N164,104,792,065.00 be provided for through virement or supplementation of the 2018 budget.

I propose that the balance of N78,340,530.535.00 mostly related to personnel allowances, fuelling and other costs not required until the election proper, be provided in their 2019 budget.

“The proposal for the 2019 General Elections are summarised below: You will also recall that when I signed the 2018 Appropriation Act, I indicated the need to request the reinstatement of certain cuts made to certain critical projects provided in the original Executive Bili.

I am therefore submitting for your consideration the reinstatement of the most critical of such cuts totalling N64,749,216,150, which are summarized on page 1.

“The total amount required to be provided for in the 2018 budget for the 2019 General Elections and to restore the identified critical projects to the amount earlier proposed is therefore N228,854,008,215. Implementing a budget of N9.12 trillion for 2018 will be extremely challenging and therefore, I do not consider it expedient to propose a further increase to the size of the 2018 Expenditure Framework to fund these very important and critical expenditure items.

“Accordingly, I invite the Distinguished Senate to consider, in the national interest, reallocating some of the funds appropriated for the new projects which were inserted into the 2018 Budget proposal totalling N578,319,951,904 to cover the sum of N228,854,008,215 required as noted above. A schedule setting out a comprehensive list of these inserted projects is attached to this letter for ease of your consideration.

“Further to the above kindly find attached the Supplementary Budget and Virement proposal for your consideration “While hoping that this request will receive the expeditious consideration of the Distinguished Senate, please accept. Mr. Senate President the assurances of my highest consideration.”