The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the commission cannot be truly independent without financial autonomy, warning that continued reliance on the normal budgetary process weakens its operational independence and could undermine efforts to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2027.
Speaking at the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023), a two-volume book authored by THISDAY Managing Director, Eniola Bello, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Amupitan argued that financial autonomy is essential to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system.
He noted that although the Constitution provides for INEC’s funding through the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the commission still depends on the annual appropriation process and budgetary approvals by other institutions.
“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.
According to the INEC chairman, the commission’s responsibilities extend beyond conducting presidential and governorship elections. He said INEC also conducts federal and state elections, supports local government elections in certain areas, registers voters and political parties, monitors political parties and maintains the national voter register.
“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,” he added.
Amupitan stressed that credible elections require the collective efforts of all democratic institutions, not just the electoral commission. He identified political parties, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and the electorate as key stakeholders in ensuring credible elections.
“When we talk about strengthening institutions, there are several institutions involved in the conduct of elections. Most times, people think only of the Independent National Electoral Commission, but beyond INEC, we also have the media, the security agencies, civil society organisations and, indeed, the Nigerian people. The health of our democracy is reflected in the strength of this wider institutional framework,” he said.
He also cited the Inter-Parliamentary Council’s position that building democratic institutions is a shared responsibility of governments, voters and organised political forces, adding that all stakeholders must work together to ensure the success of the 2027 general election.
Commenting on concerns over the appointment of INEC’s leadership, Amupitan maintained that the Constitution already provides adequate safeguards by requiring the President to appoint the chairman and national commissioners in consultation with the Council of State and subject to Senate confirmation.
He, however, observed that the challenge often lies in the implementation of the law rather than the legal framework itself.
“Sometimes, however, the issue is not the law itself but those who operate it,” he said, citing former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, who had argued that Nigeria’s problem is less about changing the Constitution than faithfully implementing both the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
Amupitan described Bello’s publication as an important contribution to Nigeria’s democratic development, noting that the more than 900-page work documents the country’s political journey from the return to democratic rule in 1999 to 2023.
“Every election teaches us lessons, and every electoral cycle provides an opportunity to improve on the last,” he said.
