INEC To EU: We’ll Accept €39m Support But FG Solely Responsible For Election Costs

Professor Mahmood Yakubu has told the European Union (EU) that while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) welcomes support from international development partners, funding elections remains the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government.

Yakubu stated this on Monday during the EU’s launch of the €39 million intervention fund toward the EU-Support Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU- SDGN).

The event was held to mark the closure of Phase I and launch of Phase II of the EU-SDGN.

The intervention will include support to INEC, the National Assembly, the judiciary; political parties, civil society organisations, and the media, among others.

Mahmood said, “I wish to reiterate here that the core costs of our electoral activities, including the acquisition of sensitive and non-sensitive materials for all elections, remain the sovereign responsibility of Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Nevertheless, the Commission appreciates the support of international development partners to enhance training and capacity building of officials; stakeholder engagement for peaceful election; production and dissemination of messages for voter education and sensitisation; enhancing the active and meaningful participation of all segments of society in the electoral process with particular reference to women, youth, Persons with Disability (PWD) and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); and, finally, election conflict mitigation, management and resolution.

“I wish to reassure you that the Commission will work together with the consortium of partners to implement the support to the INEC component of the EU-SDGN II.

“We will also continue to create the enabling environment to facilitate the work of the partners for the successful implementation of the programme. The choice of the partners signifies a vote of confidence in their capacity to undertake actions and implement activities that are critical to promoting the institutionalisation of democratic norms in our country. We will work with the implementing partners for free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.”

The INEC chairman added that the commission will continue to welcome the deployment of international and domestic election observers in line with INEC guidelines.

“The Commission considers the deployment of such election observation missions as a means of enhancing public confidence and trust in Nigeria’s elections. Their recommendations have been especially useful in reviewing our processes and the introduction of some of the progressive reforms in our electoral legal framework in line with global good practices,” he said.

He added that INEC had already sent out letters to the United Nations, European Union, Commonwealth, the African Union and ECOWAS, inviting them to deploy observation missions for the 2023 General Election.

Meanwhile, the EU’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Samuela Isopi, has said that the €39 million intervention would be spread over a five-year period.

“The overall objective of the EU-SDGN is to foster a functioning pluralistic, inclusive, participatory and representative democracy in Nigeria. Inclusive, participatory and transparent elections are a pre-requisite for a strong democracy.

“Ahead of the 2023 General Election, Nigeria is at a pivotal moment that allows the country to take important steps to consolidate democracy and strengthen the electoral process.

“The EU continues to partner with Nigeria in the ongoing reform process with a view to strengthening the capacity to conduct well-managed elections and with ample participation of all Nigerians.

“For this to happen, all must contribute, from the key institutions to the political parties and candidates, from media to civil society,” Isopi had said in an earlier statement.