INEC Seeks Better Funding, Improved Staff Welfare Ahead For 2027 General Elections.

 

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has appealed for increased and sustained funding to strengthen the Commission's operations ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that inadequate resources and the loss of experienced personnel to migration could undermine electoral preparedness.Amupitan made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, in Abuja. He stressed that improved funding is critical to enhancing election planning, logistics, technology deployment and staff welfare.

The INEC chairman expressed concern over the growing exodus of skilled personnel from the Commission, attributing the trend to inadequate remuneration and better employment opportunities elsewhere. He noted that retaining experienced staff is essential to preserving institutional knowledge and ensuring the successful conduct of future elections.

Amupitan also disclosed that governorship elections are often more expensive to conduct than the combined presidential and National Assembly elections because of the extensive logistics, legal obligations and election management processes involved. 

He called for a funding framework that reflects the Commission's operational realities rather than rigid budgetary limitations.

In response, RMAFC Chairman Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu assured INEC of the Commission's commitment to closer collaboration in addressing its funding concerns as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections.