N305bn Too Much For 2023 Elections, Sign Electoral Bill Into Law – NANS Tells Buhari

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) planned N305 billion for the 2023 general elections, according to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D.

According to NANS, the country may not be able to afford such a large sum of money due to the “precarious economic condition of the country.”

In a statement by the Coordinator of NANS in the Southwest, Emmanuel Olatunji, it was said that, “The Nigerian economy is barely hanging by a thread and the requested N305bn may not be feasible at this time.

“Consequently, we admonish both INEC and the Federal Government to adopt astute patriotism to the country by looking for the nearest most appropriate solution to this potential quagmire.”

INEC should also organize a budget assessment committee, according to the students, to ensure that the budget is “appropriately downward reviewed” to a more manageable figure.

According to NANS, this is to avoid pointless and ineffective communication between the electoral body and the federal government.

The statement read further: “We also implore the Presidency to eliminate all forms of sentiments and subjectivity in all their dealings with INEC, which includes the incorporation of INEC’s allocation into the national budget.

“Both parties will do themselves a world of good and have more time to serve the good people of Nigeria if this is adopted.

“It is also expedient that we wade in on the withdrawal of presidential assent to the proposed electoral bill amendment.

“We want to intimate President Muhammadu Buhari that this is his chance to write his name in gold as the President that restructured Nigeria’s electoral system after years of trial and error. The President should therefore ignore all dissident and retrogressive exhortations aimed at dissuading him from signing the bill into law.

“We affirm our conviction in the direct primary procedure as it will allow only politicians who are truly popular at the grassroot level to emerge as party candidates.

“However, we also concur that political parties should be able to unilaterally determine their choice of technique in line with their respective ideologies.”