Why N1bn is inadequate for Edo, Ondo elections in 2020 – INEC chair

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu had declared N1billion would not be enough for it to conduct Edo and Ondo governorship elections next year.
Yakubu spoke while defending the agency’s 2020 budget estimates before the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on INEC in Abuja.
N40billion has been voted for INEC in the 2020 Budget as statutory transfer in the fiscal document presented by President Muhammadu Buhari being considered by the committees of the National Assembly.

The INEC chairman told the Committee that the Edo and Ondo elections were scheduled to be conducted next year.
He said that other supplementary elections may arise.
He said the Commission has saved the N300million by combining Kogi West Senatorial bye-election with the Governorship poll.
“As a result of that position we have taken, we have saved over N300 million that we would have spent if the election were to hold as a stand-alone.

“Now, it will cost less than N10 million because we have combined that election.
“Also in Bayelsa state, we have a supplementary election in Brass local government area.