By Fatima Zara Shuaibu – The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, has declared that the commission never received any direct funding from international development partners for the 2023 General Elections.
The INEC chairman made the declaration on Monday while meeting with Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, on the review of the 20203 General Election in Abuja.
Mr Yakubu emphasized that it has been a long-standing policy of the present Commission not to receive direct funding and cash transfers from sources other than the Federal Government.
According to him, the Commission received only indirect support from international development partners during the exercise.
He said: “It is necessary to seize this opportunity to correct the impression in some sections of the public that the Commission received huge sums of money from development partners for the election.
“On the contrary, and for the avoidance of doubt, the Commission did not receive any direct funding or cash support from international development partners.
“Rather, their support was totally indirect through civil society organisations and implementing partners working on elections.
“Indeed, it has been a longstanding policy of the present Commission not to receive direct funding and cash transfers from sources other than the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“We hope that we shall continue to have this type of productive partnership with civil society and development partners in the future.”
Mr Yakubu, however, commended the CSOs for their support during the general elections, saying that their recommendations have been very helpful to the electoral process.
“It is in furtherance of this partnership that the Commission accredits observers because the feedback we receive, and their actionable recommendations have been very helpful to the electoral process.
“For the 2023 General Election, the Commission received 538 requests (504 domestic and 34 foreign) for accreditation as observers,” the INEC boss added.
“After a thorough evaluation of the requests, only 228 (190 domestic and 38 foreign (including four invited foreign observer groups) met the requirements for accreditation, met the requirements for accreditation.
“However, so far, only 67 observer groups (62 domestic and five foreign) have so far submitted their observation reports which represents just about 30% of the accredited groups for the election.
“We urge all accredited observer groups that are yet to submit their reports to do so in earnest,” Mr Yakubu pleaded.
