Two weeks after the Supreme Court gave financial autonomy to Nigeria’s local governments (LGs), Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral agency (INEC), indicated that the agency is capable of successfully holding LG elections if given the job by law.
On Thursday, Yakubu made this statement while presenting the budget for the Ondo and Edo off-cycle elections before the Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters.
He raised concerns about funding for their by-elections in the country.
Two weeks after the Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to Nigeria’s local governments (LGs), Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stated that the agency is capable of successfully organising LG elections if given the mandate by law.
Yakubu made the assertion Thursday while submitting the budget for the Ondo and Edo off-cycle elections to the Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters.
Regarding the Edo governorship poll on September 21, 2024, and the Ondo governorship election on November 16, 2024, Yakubu highlighted the commission’s technological advancements.
He dismissed concerns over frequent malfunctions of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal that occurred during the 2023 presidential election, stating that the commission has learned from those issues.
Yakubu also assured that there are no funding fears for off-cycle elections, as the executive has pledged to release funds for the seven upcoming by-elections.
Again, Mahmood appealed to the lawmakers to speedily pass the Electoral Offenders Bill under the current Assembly to empower the commission with the capacity and resources to effect arrests, thoroughly investigate electoral offences and mitigate electoral malfeasance.