Reps Summon INEC Chairman Over N500b Budget For Direct Primaries

The House of Representatives has summoned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr Mahmood Yakubu, to appear before it following the Commission’s moves to scuttle the direct primaries amendment made to the Electoral Act from being signed into law.

INEC is being accused of pandering to external forces to ensure the president does not sign the amendment into law while also posturing to make the National Assembly believe that it is too expensive to conduct direct primaries by political parties.

A source had earlier revealed to THE WHISTLER that INEC had agreed to reject direct primaries as included in the bill awaiting presidential assent and will soon make its position known through a letter to the president.

Recall that INEC had said it received a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari seeking to know the commission’s position on the amendment.

“The President has requested the commission and other critical national institutions to revert with detailed and considered views indicating whether or not the President should assent to the bill,” ssid INEC National Commissioner and chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye.

Okoye said it was the “democratic way to go and the commission will make its views known to the President bearing in mind the overriding national interest and interest of our democracy.”

Alarmed by INEC’s position, the lawmakers trough a motion raised by Hon Leke Abejide, representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-Muro Federal Constituency of Kogi State, based on a motion of urgent public importance on Thursday in Abuja during plenary, requested Yakubu to appear and explain the development.

Yakubu is to appear before the Committees on Appropriations and Electoral Matters to speak on the matter, the House resolved.

In the motion which was unanimously endorsed at the session presided over by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, Abejide called attention to the speculation making the rounds that it would cost over N500billion for political parties to conduct direct primaries ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The cost implication is said to likely decide the fate of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2021 still waiting for the Presidential assent.

The bill compelled political parties to adopt direct primaries as the mode of choosing the candidates for elections.

Abejide pointed out that INEC is in the best position to clear the air on the cost implication of direct primaries since it is the umpire supervising both the primaries of political parties and the main elections.
Abedeji added, “We all know the importance of direct primaries.
“Some people say it will cost N500bn. This is mere speculation because the cost of direct primaries may be within the budget of INEC.”

He stated that the best time to invite Yakubu would be now that the 2022 budget was still pending before the National Assembly.

He explained that this would help the legislature to decide on appropriate budgeting.

Giving his directive after the motion was passed, Speaker Gbajabiamila said, “Committees on INEC and Appropriation, please invite the INEC chairman so that he can give us the possible cost implications of direct primaries.”

The battle for signing the bill into law has now moved to INEC following the president’s request to get input from the Commission, sensing that the President will be influenced by INEC’s position and reject signing it into law.

It is being feared that the President may be swayed into rejecting it if INEC makes such huge financial request.

This development was communicated to the House which resolved to invite Mahmood with a number of lawmakers saying it will afford the House an opportunity to ensure INEC does not give negative opinion that will influence the President to reject the new amendment.