The acquisition of sensitive and non-sensitive materials for all elections remains the sole responsibility of the Federal Government of Nigeria, according to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu.
He made the remarks on Monday at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, which marked the end of Phase I and the start of Phase II of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN).
Yakubu stated that INEC was a key beneficiary of the first phase of the program conceived under the National Indicative Programme 2014-2020, adding that the Commission received various forms of support, primarily in the areas of staff training and capacity building, stakeholder engagement, voter education and public enlightenment, and the promotion of inclusivity.
“The combination of these actions and activities not only enhanced public confidence in the Commission but also provided valuable assistance in strengthening the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.
“A major achievement in this regard is the progressive provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, especially the deployment of technology for voter accreditation and result management at the polling unit level,” he said.
The INEC chief added, “I wish to reiterate here that the core costs of our electoral activities, including the acquisition of sensitive and non-sensitive materials for all elections, remain the sovereign responsibility of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Nevertheless, the Commission appreciates the support of international development partners to enhance training and capacity building of officials; stakeholder engagement for peaceful election; production and dissemination of messages for voter education and sensitisation; enhancing the active and meaningful participation of all segments of society in the electoral process…”
“Very soon, the advertisement will be placed in national newspapers and the Commission’s website to invite applications from interested domestic organisations to observe the same election,” he noted.
