The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the Federal Government for additional funding to prepare for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Friday while defending the commission’s 2025 budget proposal before the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Professor Yakubu emphasized the critical need for timely financial support to facilitate key areas of INEC’s operations. He outlined the commission’s funding priorities, including the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, logistics for off-cycle elections, and the replacement of damaged election materials such as Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS), ballot boxes, and voting cubicles. He also highlighted the need to repair INEC offices in various Local Government Areas that have suffered damage.
“2025 is a pivotal year for the preparations leading up to the 2027 general elections. Securing funding early is essential to ensure seamless operations and uphold the integrity of the electoral process,” Yakubu stated.
INEC reiterated its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic processes and ensuring credible elections.
Meanwhile, the commission addressed recent speculations regarding the fate of over six million uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) from the 2015 voter registration exercise. INEC clarified that it has no plans to destroy the PVCs, describing reports suggesting otherwise as “incorrect.”
“At no time did INEC contemplate the destruction of uncollected PVCs,” the commission affirmed.
