INEC proposes N2bn for Anambra election, Continuous Voter Registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed the sum of N1billion each for the conduct of the forthcoming Anambra Governorship election and the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) respectively.

The Chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu gave this indication while defending the agency’s 2021 budget estimates before the Senate Committee on INEC, in Abuja.

This is even as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya, challenged the election management body to urgently work out a special remuneration package for its staff in view of their enormous responsibilities.

Yakubu said that the CVR will commence in the first quarter of 2021 and the exercise will last for 18 months which is six months to the 2023 general elections.

He also told reporters that the Commission is favourably disposed to making provision for early and diaspora voting in the country subject to amendment of the Electoral Act and the relevant section of the Constitution.

He said that the early voting will enable essential service providers like the police, members of the armed forces, INEC’s Adhoc staff, media practitioners, etc, to exercise their franchise either before or during the elections.

He said that diplomatic staff in foreign missions as well as participants in the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) will also be able to vote for any candidate of their choice when the relevant legal instruments are emplaced.