The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the commission cannot achieve full independence without financial autonomy.
He warned that continued reliance on the regular budgetary process could weaken INEC’s ability to conduct free, fair and credible elections.
As reported by Vanguard, Amupitan made the remarks on Thursday while delivering a keynote address at the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999 to 2023), authored by the Managing Director of THISDAY, Mr Eniola Bello, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
The INEC chairman said granting the commission greater control over its finances was critical to strengthening its operations and improving public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Can INEC truly be independent without financial autonomy? If we are serious about strengthening our institutions and conducting free, fair and credible elections, then financial autonomy is essential,” Amupitan said.
He explained that although the Constitution provides for INEC’s funding through the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the existing arrangement did not guarantee genuine financial independence because the commission remained subject to the normal appropriation process.
“The Constitution places INEC’s funding on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and many believe that is sufficient.
“However, experience has shown that as long as INEC remains subject to the normal appropriation process and depends on budgetary approvals by other institutions, genuine financial independence remains difficult,” he said.
Amupitan said INEC’s responsibilities went beyond conducting elections, noting that the commission was also responsible for voter registration, the registration and monitoring of political parties, maintenance of the national voters’ register and the conduct of federal and state elections.
He added that the commission also played a role in supporting local government elections in some respects.
“For these reasons, there is a strong case for giving INEC greater operational and financial autonomy to improve efficiency and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process,” the INEC chairman said.
He, however, stressed that credible elections could not be achieved by INEC alone, noting that political parties, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and citizens all had important roles to play in strengthening democracy.
Amupitan said all stakeholders must work together if Nigeria hoped to conduct peaceful and credible elections in 2027.
On concerns surrounding the appointment of INEC leadership, he said the Constitution had established safeguards requiring the President to appoint the chairman and national commissioners in consultation with the Council of State and subject to confirmation by the Senate.
He, however, noted that the effectiveness of such provisions often depended on the individuals responsible for implementing them.
“Sometimes, however, the issue is not the law itself but those who operate it,” he said.
The INEC chairman cited the views of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, who argued that Nigeria’s challenge was not necessarily the absence of laws but the failure to uphold the spirit of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
Amupitan also described Bello’s book as a valuable contribution to Nigeria’s democratic discourse, saying it documented the country’s political journey from the return to democratic rule in 1999 to 2023.
He said previous electoral cycles had provided important lessons that could guide preparations for the 2027 elections.
“Every election teaches us lessons, and every electoral cycle provides an opportunity to improve on the last,” Amupitan said.
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