- Submits reviewed priorities for consideration
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday complied with the N143bn 2019 elections budgetary request adopted by the joint committee of the National Assembly on Monday by submitting a reviewed budgetary proposal to that effect for approval.
The electoral body had before the adoption of the N143bn budgetary request made on its behalf by President Muhammadu Buhari through a virement seeking letter he forwarded to the National Assembly last month, presented N189billion to the committee for approval.
But the Committee after about two weeks of deliberations on the two separate requests, adopted the N143bn the President sought for in the letter since the N45.6billion difference is to be provided for in the 2019 budget .
Announcing the compliance of INEC with the adopted N143bn elections budget after a closed door session, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif ( PDP Bauchi North), said the electoral body had sent a reviewed budget to the committee within the ambit of N143bn.
He disclosed that a subcommittee has been established to look into the details of the new budget submitted by INEC.
The subcommittee, according to him, is expected to complete its assignment today and table it for consideration by 4pm.
Also speaking with journalists, Senator Aliyu Sabi (APC Niger north) gave assurances that the committee is determined to urgently complete work on the election budget.
He denied allegations that the committee was deliberately slowing down the process to frustrate moves to make the National Assembly to reconvene.
He said part of the reason for setting up the sub-committee was to speed up the legislative processes for final approval of the election budget.