The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has said the cost of conducting governorship elections exceeds the combined expenditure on presidential and National Assembly elections.
Amupitan consequently appealed to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for increased and consistent funding to enable the electoral body to effectively prepare for the 2027 general elections.
Naijaonpoint reports that the INEC chairman made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the RMAFC Chairman, Dr Mohammed Shehu, in Abuja.
According to INEC’s daily bulletin, Amupitan described the visit as part of the commission’s continuing efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two federal agencies.
Amupitan said INEC’s constitutional responsibilities extended beyond the conduct of general elections.
He explained that the commission was responsible for organising elections into the offices of the President, Vice President, National Assembly, state governors, state Houses of Assembly and the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory.
He added that INEC also conducts continuous voter registration and supervises the registration of political parties.
The INEC chairman noted that the commission bears the financial burden of handling pre-election and post-election matters, including legal disputes and petitions arising from political party primaries and the conduct of elections.
According to him, the wide scope of the commission’s responsibilities makes adequate and predictable funding necessary for effective electoral planning.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC maintains offices in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, as well as in all 774 local government areas.
He said the Federal Government currently bears the full financial responsibility for maintaining the commission’s offices and operations across the country.
The INEC chairman said the financial demands of organising governorship elections were particularly significant, noting that their cost surpassed the combined expenditure on presidential and National Assembly polls.
He therefore urged RMAFC to support efforts to ensure that the commission receives sufficient and consistent funding ahead of the next general election.
Amupitan maintained that proper funding would help the commission improve logistics, deploy electoral materials efficiently and address challenges associated with conducting elections across the country.
Amupitan also raised concerns over the welfare of INEC employees, stressing that competitive remuneration was necessary to retain skilled workers and sustain institutional efficiency.
He disclosed that the commission had recently lost some experienced members of staff to migration, partly because of inadequate remuneration and poor welfare conditions.
The INEC chairman warned that the situation could create a significant skill gap, particularly as several experienced employees approach retirement.
He argued that improved welfare packages would boost workers’ morale, strengthen the commission’s capacity and improve public confidence in the outcome of elections.
Amupitan also called for increased funding for infrastructure, personnel training and the deployment of electoral technology.
According to him, adequate investment in these areas is essential to preserving institutional knowledge and strengthening the commission’s ability to conduct credible elections.
The chairman assured RMAFC that INEC remained committed to delivering free, fair, transparent and credible elections.
He said the presidential and National Assembly elections had been scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections would be held on February 6, 2027.
Amupitan also disclosed that INEC would conduct an off-cycle governorship election in Osun State on August 15, 2026.
He said the commission’s most recent governorship election in Ekiti State, as well as bye-elections conducted in other states, received commendation from local and international observers.
Responding, the RMAFC chairman commended INEC for consistently organising elections since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.
