INEC Confirms No Election Funds Yet, Moves Ahead with 2027 Plans
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has not yet received the budgetary allocation proposed for the 2027 general elections but insists preparations for the polls are already underway. Speaking at a stakeholders' forum in Abuja organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and Legis360, INEC National Commissioner for Voter Education and Publicity, Mohammed Haruna, said the delay does not violate the Electoral Act, which requires election funds to be released no later than six months before a general election. Haruna explained that the commission has proposed N873.78 billion for the 2027 elections and has already begun critical preparations, including plans to replace damaged, missing and unrecovered Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices. According to him, INEC's ICT team has initiated procurement processes, noting that many election materials are imported and require significant lead time. He also disclosed that the commission plans to conduct mock presidential election exercises to test its technology and prevent a repeat of the technical issues experienced with the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal during the 2023 presidential election. Addressing concerns over the election budget, Haruna argued that the cost remains reasonable when measured against the number of registered voters, adding that imported equipment and exchange rate fluctuations continue to drive expenses. He also identified conflicting court orders as a major operational challenge, revealing that last-minute judicial rulings before the recent Ekiti governorship election forced the commission to reconfigure software and update election materials on short notice.
On data security, Haruna assured Nigerians that INEC maintains strict protection protocols, confirming that an electoral officer accused of leaking sensitive information had been suspended while investigations by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, the police and the Department of State Services continue. Reviewing the Ekiti election, he said BVAS recorded a 98 per cent successful voter accreditation rate despite minor challenges involving elderly voters. However, he expressed concern over persistent vote-buying, describing it as a growing threat to credible elections. PAACA Executive Director, Ezenwa Nwagwu, urged the Federal Government to release election funds early, warning that delayed financing creates room for rushed procurement and corruption. He also called for stronger institutional support to enable INEC deliver credible elections in 2027.
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