Nigerians on social media have knocked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC over its request for a whopping N305bn to conduct the 2023 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu made the statement during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Appropriation at the National Assembly on Monday.
“The Commission made a submission through the executive being part of the executive body. We made a submission for N305 billion for the 2023 general elections in a very comprehensive 22-page document with 260 budget lines,” Yakubu said
He stated that the funds were to cater for all materials to be used by INEC during the election, and also other by-elections in the country.
According to Yakubu, N140bn has already been released.
In reaction to the INEC chairman’s statement, most Nigerians on social media wondered why the electoral umpire was seeking such huge funds for elections that will be rigged, with some jokingly asking INEC to appoint a president instead of an election, so as not to waste the money.
Others asked for their own share of the money instead.