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Ahead of next year’s general elections, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has raised the alarm over poor funding of the electoral umpire, appealing to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to increase its funding to strengthen the commission’s operations.
Amupitan made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the RMAFC Chairman, Dr Mohammed Bello Shehu, in Abuja.
While 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, National Assembly, State Governors, State Houses of Assembly, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils, as well as continuous voter registration and the registration of political parties.
The electoral umpire boss further noted that the cost of conducting governorship elections alone exceeds the combined cost of Presidential and National Assembly elections, adding that the commission also bears the financial burden of pre-election and post-election matters, including election petitions arising from party primaries.
Explaining, he said, “INEC maintains offices across all 36 states and the FCT, as well as in all the 774 local government areas, with the federal government currently bearing the full cost of these nationwide operations.”
“There is a need for improved welfare packages for INEC staff because competitive remuneration remains essential to retaining skilled personnel and sustaining institutional efficiency.
“The commission had, in recent times, lost some experienced staff to migration. The trend is partly due to inadequate remuneration. Let me warn that a widening skill gap could result as more experienced personnel approach retirement.
“Improved welfare conditions would boost staff morale and strengthen public confidence in the commission’s electoral outcomes,” he quipped.
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Speaking further, Amupitan called for “improved infrastructure funding and adequate investment in electoral technology and personnel training. These investments remain vital to safeguarding institutional knowledge within the commission.”
“I want to assure RMAFC that INEC remained committed to delivering free, fair, transparent, and credible elections. The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for 16 January 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on 6 February 2027.
“The commission will conduct an off-cycle governorship election in Osun state on 15 August 2026. INEC’s most recent governorship in Ekiti State and bye-elections in other states had received commendation both locally and internationally,” he said.
Responding, the RMAFC Chairman, Bello Shehu, commended INEC for its consistency in conducting elections since 1999 and pledged support for the commission towards ensuring it delivers credible polls in 2027.
Shehu acknowledged the scale of INEC’s responsibilities across the federal, state, and local government levels, describing the commission’s operational demands as enormous given its nationwide presence.
“We want to assure you and your team that RMAFC’s doors remained open for continued engagement and collaboration in support of your electoral mandate,” he said.
The INEC Chairman was accompanied by National Commissioners, the Secretary of the commission, technical aides, and directors, while the RMAFC Chairman received the delegation alongside the Vice Chairman, Commissioners, and senior directors of the Commission.
