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The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has emphasised the need to relocate the remaining 59 INEC local government offices currently housed within the local government secretariats to independent locations.
Addressing the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters at the National Assembly Complex Thursday, Prof. Yakubu outlined the historical and operational challenges associated with the current office arrangements.
In his presentation, he said INEC’s presence within local government secretariats originated during Nigeria’s transition from military to democratic governance.
He said, “At the time, military governors were responsible for providing office accommodation for the commission. While this arrangement sufficed during the transition period, it has since proven problematic in certain situations, particularly during elections.
“These offices are not just administrative buildings, they are electoral facilities where we conduct voter registration and collate local government election results; sharing the same entrance with local government secretariats has led to instances where opposition members were obstructed during collation processes.
“To safeguard transparency, we have been systematically relocating these offices or creating separate entrances where relocation is not immediately feasible.”
Prof. Yakubu revealed that INEC had successfully relocated 715 out of its 774 local government offices, representing 92.4% of the total while 59 offices representing 7.6%, were still situated within secretariats.
“Notably, a large proportion of these offices are in the South-east (47.5%), followed by the South-south (27.1%) and the South-west (20.3%). In contrast, the North-east has fully transitioned while the North-central and the North-west have only one and two offices remaining respectively.
“The relocation process faces two main challenges: availability of land and budgetary constraints.
“In many northern states, land is more accessible, facilitating relocations. However, in areas like Lagos and the South-east, land scarcity and high costs pose significant obstacles.”
He also highlighted the financial burden of maintaining INEC’s vast infrastructure which included over 860 buildings nationwide, encompassing local government offices, state offices, the headquarters and other facilities.
He said funding needed for maintenance and construction primarily comes from the electoral budget allocated every four years.
To address this challenge, Prof. Yakubu urged the Committee to consider yearly budgetary provisions for the maintenance and relocation of these facilities.
The INEC chairman sought the lawmakers’ support to accelerate the relocation process and ensure ongoing maintenance of electoral facilities continues uninterrupted.
“Our suggestion is for this honourable Committee to consider consistent budgetary provisions in the regular annual budget. This will ensure we can maintain and upgrade facilities without waiting for election years.
“We are ahead of schedule, but we need sustained support to complete this task and ensure a transparent and accessible electoral process.”
Lawmakers expressed support for INEC’s efforts, with members emphasising the importance of upholding neutrality in the electoral process.
“INEC’s facilities must reflect its independence to build public confidence in elections,” according to a Committee member. “This is essential to fostering good governance and democratic credibility.”
