INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan has appealed to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission for increased, more consistent funding to strengthen the electoral commission’s operations ahead of the 2027 general election, during a courtesy visit to RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu in Abuja.
In a statement from INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity Victoria Eta Messi, Amupitan described the visit as part of ongoing efforts to deepen collaboration between the two federal bodies, outlining INEC’s constitutional mandate covering elections for president, vice president, the National Assembly, state governors, state assemblies and the FCT’s area councils, alongside continuous voter registration and political party registration, noting that governorship elections alone cost more than the combined cost of presidential and National Assembly elections, on top of the financial burden of pre and post election matters including petitions arising from party primaries.
Amupitan explained that INEC maintains offices across all 36 states and the FCT, as well as all 774 local government areas, with the federal government currently bearing the full cost of that nationwide operation, and stressed the need for improved staff welfare, arguing competitive remuneration remains essential to retaining skilled personnel and sustaining institutional efficiency. He said the commission has recently lost experienced staff to migration, a trend he linked partly to inadequate pay, warning that a widening skills gap could emerge as more experienced personnel approach retirement, and argued improved welfare would boost staff morale and strengthen public confidence in the commission’s electoral outcomes.
Shehu, responding, commended INEC for its consistency in conducting elections since 1999 and pledged RMAFC’s support in helping the commission deliver credible polls in 2027, acknowledging the sheer scale of INEC’s responsibilities across federal, state and local government levels as enormous given its nationwide presence, and assured Amupitan and his team that RMAFC’s doors remain open for continued engagement in support of INEC’s electoral mandate.
