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We do not lack funds —INEC

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega
| credits: File photo

The Independent National Electoral Commission has refuted claims that it does not have sufficient funds to conduct 2015 elections successfully.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, the commission has no reason to complain about paucity of funds.

Recently, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, reportedly said inadequate funding was a challenge that was threatening the conduct of the forthcoming elections.

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Speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday, Jega’s spokesman stated that the commission appreciated the cooperation and goodwill it enjoyed from all the arms of government.

Though he admitted that all the funds needed to fully plan for the 2015 elections had not been released, Idowu expressed his optimism that the Federal Government would meet the needs of the electoral body.

He said, “What the INEC chairman said was that funds could be a threat to timely positioning. As it is well known, monies from budget are released in tranches, not wholesale.”

Idowu also said INEC was going to track how much money political parties and their candidates spend on the 2015 election campaigns.

“In 2011, we were not able to track down how much money political candidates expended in their campaigns toward the election. There were no structures in place to the tracking of political parties’ expenditures,” he said.

Idowu also encouraged the parties and their candidates to exhibit orderliness and shun violence in next year’s elections.

He said, “I think a major positive note from the primaries conducted by various political parties is that the elections were largely successful without violence. Going forward, politicians should ensure that 2015 elections are devoid of violence. If they do, we are coasting home with the desired results.”

Meanwhile, INEC has said it would start to re-validate and upgrade its ad hoc staff recruitment databank in preparation for the forthcoming general elections.