…to spend N4.6bn on unforeseen expenses
The Independent National Electoral Commission has budgeted the sum of N1.8bn for a possible Presidential run-off in 2019.
A run-off or rerun is a second-round election that takes place after the first one fails to produce a winner.
According to Section 134 of the 1999 Constitution, a Presidential candidate can only be declared winner garnering the highest number of votes cast, and having received at least a quarter of the votes at each of at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The section reads in part, “If no candidate satisfies the requirement, a second election will be held between the two leading candidates within seven days from the pronouncement of the result.”
INEC, therefore, budgeted the sum of N1, 860, 952, 928 for election logistic expenses including movement, deployment and retrieval of men and materials in the event of a run-off.
The information is contained in INEC’s 2019 Election Project Plan Vol. 2.
The total sum of N189bn, which INEC is demanding to execute the general elections, is included in the N228bn virement proposal sent to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.
INEC also earmarked the sum of N4.6bn for miscellaneous expenses for the general elections.
While the election operational cost was put at N134bn, the sum of N27.5bn was tabled down as the cost of election technology.
The sum of N22.6bn was also budgeted for election administrative cost.
According to the electoral umpire, the Presidential election, which holds on February 16, 2019, will gulp over N32bn. (Punch)
