Senate Recommends N30bn Boost for INEC Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Senate Committee on Electoral Matters has proposed an additional N30 billion funding for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The recommendation, aimed at enhancing logistics, operational capacity, and addressing anticipated challenges, would raise the total INEC budget from N873.78 billion to N903.78 billion.
In what analysts describe as a blend of diplomacy and politics, President Bola Tinubu hosted members of the Senate at a Ramadan Iftar at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday evening. The event, which began around 6:30 pm, provided an informal platform for dialogue between the executive and lawmakers.
Senior government officials, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, were also in attendance. Senators arrived in four buses from 5:55 pm and joined the President in the Conference Room ahead of the breaking of fast.
This Iftar followed a similar gathering last week, where the President hosted state governors across party lines, continuing his use of the holy month as a tool for consensus-building and inter-governmental cooperation.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olisa Agbakoba has reiterated the urgent need for reforms in Nigeria’s electoral framework. Speaking in Lagos, Agbakoba emphasized the importance of electronic transmission of results, which he said must be explicitly enshrined in law to prevent manipulation.
“Electronic voting is not the same as electronic transmission,” Agbakoba explained. “Right now, results can be altered between the polling unit and higher collation centres. The presiding officer leaves the polling unit, and results may be changed en route to the ward, local council, and state centres. That’s why statutory backing is critical.”
He added that although INEC has guidelines for digital transmission, the absence of clear legal provisions in the Electoral Act leaves room for ambiguity. According to Agbakoba, a Supreme Court ruling had invalidated reliance on INEC guidelines not expressly provided for in law, highlighting the need for legislative clarity.
The proposed funding, he noted, would support INEC’s logistical and operational needs, especially if coupled with reforms to safeguard transparency and credibility.
The Presidency did not issue an official statement following the Iftar, but past events of this nature have been described as strategic engagements aimed at fostering cooperation between arms of government while promoting national unity during the holy month.