“Furthermore, Section 81(3) provides for a direct line charge to INEC’s budget, ensuring financial independence through funds drawn directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund,” he said. “This mechanism, reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022, was designed to eliminate INEC’s reliance on politically controlled entities, thereby curing the historical problem of undue influence over the election management body.”

Ameh also took issue with INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s justification that the FCDA’s involvement is acceptable because it constructed INEC’s previous headquarters when the commission moved from Lagos to Abuja. Ameh dismissed the rationale as “outdated and indefensible.”

“Nigeria’s electoral laws have evolved significantly, and such arrangements are no longer acceptable for an institution tasked with conducting free, fair, and credible elections,” he argued.

He warned that FCDA’s role in the project raises serious questions about political interference, especially given its control under the Federal Capital Territory Administration, which is overseen by Minister Nyesom Wike.

“The mere fact that FCDA was allowed to initiate and carry out the construction of the new headquarters speaks volumes. For an agency under the Federal Capital Territory Administration and subject to political oversight by Nyesom Wike, to fund and construct its headquarters, INEC risks compromising its impartiality and eroding public trust in the electoral process.”

Ameh emphasized that INEC’s constitutional financial autonomy was designed to eliminate such dependence and called the current arrangement a contradiction of that purpose.

“This decision contradicts the purpose of the direct line charge, which empowers INEC to independently budget for its operational and infrastructural needs through appropriations by the National Assembly. Public sentiment, as expressed by so many citizens, echoes this concern, with Nigerians questioning the integrity of an electoral body that permits political actors to influence its operations,” he said.

He further criticized INEC for prioritizing a new building project while staff welfare continues to suffer.

“Equally concerning is INEC’s misplaced priority in focusing on a new headquarters while neglecting the welfare of its staff—the bureaucratic backbone of the commission. The employees who manage voter registration, election logistics, and result collation deserve competitive salaries, adequate training, and improved working conditions to enhance their efficiency and resist electoral malpractices,” he stated.

“Diverting attention to a grandiose project at the expense of staff welfare undermines INEC’s mission to deliver credible elections for sustainable democracy in Nigeria.”

Ameh urged INEC to terminate the deal with FCDA immediately and instead utilize its constitutionally backed financial autonomy to independently manage the construction of its new headquarters.

“The National Assembly must exercise its oversight powers to ensure that INEC’s budget reflects its infrastructural and operational needs without reliance on external agencies. Additionally, INEC must prioritise staff welfare to strengthen the integrity of the electoral system.”

He concluded with a stern warning: “The Nigerian people deserve an electoral body that upholds its constitutional mandate of independence and prioritises the mechanisms that drive credible elections. Any attempt to undermine INEC’s autonomy threatens the foundation of our democracy. We must act swiftly to protect the integrity of our electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.”

Ripplesnigeria.com