Time to curb INEC's financial profligacy

Time to curb INEC's financial profligacy

Yesterday, November 19, the headline news on ThisDay newspaper was the decision of INEC to print additional 93.5mn ballot papers for the presidential election because according to it (INEC), there is likely to be a re-run. This raises 2 issues, namely: expected voter turn-out and re-run ballot papers.

On voter turn-out, why is INEC printing 93.5mn ballot papers? It says it is because there are 93.5mn registered voters in its database. However, according to INEC’s election records, voter turn-out in the 2011, 2015 and 2019 presidential elections was 53.68%, 43.65% and 34.75% respectively which shows consistent decline cycle-over-cycle. Why then does INEC want to print 93.5mn ballot papers for 93.5mn people which is premised on 100% turnout? Based on past trends as seen in the last 3 presidential elections, why not assume a generous 70% probable voter turn-out for the 2023 presidential poll and print 65.45mn ballot papers instead of 93.5mn ballot papers (100% turnout)? Why is INEC so wasteful and unthinking? To make matters worse, INEC plans to print double ballot papers for each voter in anticipation of a presidential election re-run.

On the re-run ballot papers, when asked what would happen if a winner emerges on the first ballot thereby rendering the printed re-run ballot papers useless, Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner, said the body would destroy the ballot papers. I was stupefied to read that news.

Let’s assume its costs INEC N1,000 to print each ballot paper. 93.5m ballot papers for the presidential election will cost N93.5bn. The ballot papers for a re-run presidential poll will cost another N93.5bn if no winner emerges on the first ballot. In essence, INEC is saying that although it is uncertain if there would be a re-run or not, it has decided to gamble N93.5bn. And if in February 2023, a winner emerges on the first ballot, it would destroy the N93.5bn worth of re-run ballot papers. You read right! N93.bn goes down the drain just like that.

Sometimes, when you read about the actions and decisions of public office holders, you will realize that many of them are unfit for office. They just cannot think outside the box. They lack critical reasoning and problem-solving skills. Even if this is government’s funds, must it be frittered away so hopelessly? Which private sector firm will throw away N93.5bn on uncertainty like INEC is preparing to do?

The presidential election holds February 25, 2023. The law says a re-run should be held 21 days (i.e. March 18, 2023) after the first ballot if no winner emerges. Handover date is May 29, 2023. Festus Okoye says in order to meet the 21-day deadline, they have to print the re-run ballot papers ahead. But man is not made for the law. The law is made for man. What is sacrosanct is the May 29, 2023 handover date when a new president must assume office. In 2015, Jonathan’s government postponed the presidential poll by 6 weeks. Heaven did not fall. Why the hurry to print re-run ballot papers when there is no result from the first ballot to confirm its necessity?  

If INEC needs 2 months to print re-run ballot papers which exceeds the 21-day timeframe, it can seek approval from the National Assembly or apply to the court. A rerun election can be done at the end of March. It can be done in April and even May. It can be done at any time provided it is before the May 29 handover date. If INEC needs 6 weeks to prepare for the rerun, rerun poll will hold on 8 April 2023; 10 weeks imply it will hold 6 May 2023 while 12 weeks mean it will hold 25 May 2023.

Nigeria cannot afford to throw N93.5bn into the drain on uncertainty. If we have to print re-run ballot papers, it must have been confirmed from the result of the first poll that indeed, there was no winner. In 2010 when Jonathan assumed office, it was a contrived Doctrine of Necessity by NASS that made him acting president.

N93.5bn can do so much. It can build several hospitals; schools; roads; housing; provision of water, electricity and transport infrastructure etc. Nigerians should not allow INEC to create “job for the boys” and fritter away N93.5bn on uncertainty. There is so much poverty in the land. NBS says 133million Nigerians are living in poverty, yet some people who cannot think outside the box are ready to throw away N93.5bn on a one-day event. Why spend N187bn to print 187mn ballot papers (first ballot and uncertain/unconfirmed run-off) when you can spend only N65.45bn (70% turn-out for first ballot) thereby saving the country N121.55bn? Is it so hard to think or reason?

The N93.bn cost for the first ballot is already too high. Why should Nigeria spend N93.bn to elect a president. That is a humongous sum. An election is just a means to an end. The end is good governance which is what Nigerians really care about. The cost of a presidential election should not exceed N5bn. I hope the new administration will look into this and challenge INEC to think smart and further digitize the electoral process thereby making it cost efficient. INEC’s humongous budget has become a drainpipe on Nigeria’s lean resources. It must not be allowed to further extend its profligacy latitude.

I urge all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organizations, NASS, presidency, activists etc. to please stop INEC from going ahead with this completely senseless and wasteful decision. If the N93.bn was the private funds of INEC chairman, would he throw the money into the bin as he is wont to? We are not all crazy in this country. Nigeria is not a banana republic.

Dr Gbenga Adefulu, an economist, digital media consultant and public affairs analyst writes from Ikeja, Lagos. He can be reached through drgbengaadefulu@yahoo.com and blogs at https://gbengaadefulumusings.blogspot.com/