We need ₦2bn to conduct free, fair council poll – Chairman
The Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), Babatunde Osibodu, has revealed that the commission has budgeted over N2billion for the conduct of the November 16 council poll in the state.
Osibodu said the commission planned over N 1billion for transportation on the election day, while more than N200million will be spent to print the voter register from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He spoke on Tuesday in Abeokuta while featuring on the “Media Parliament”, an interactive programme organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun Council.
The chairman blamed the humongous budget on constant fuel price hike, saying the commission had reviewed its proposal for at least six times.
He explained that the voter register cost the electoral body N15 million to print during the last council poll held in 2021, saying it will now cost over N200m to print the same register for the 2024 election.
The chairman said election day transportation bill which was N200m in 2021 will now go up to over N1billion.
He said he could not give the exact amount the election process will cost his commission, but the current budget is over N2bn.
Osibodu said, “I can tell you that our budget as proposed is in excess of N2billion. I have said that somewhere before and someone said ‘Ha! It’s too much. You people should fear God.’
“Now, I will give you one or two examples. In 2021, to print the voter register that we got from INEC, I remember we have to print three copies of each, the total number of the pages came to 869,000 and some pages. We printed it at N17 per page in July 2021. It costs us, if I am right altogether, about N15m.
“This circle, the best we have got, is N225 per page. You cannot take it to just anywhere, it has to be a security printer. That alone, just that voters register will cost us well in excess of N200m just to print. I can go on and on.
“The way that fuel prices have increased, last election we spent roughly over N200m on transportation on election day itself. This time it will be well in excess of N1bn because fuel cost alone has almost gone up ten times since then. It may still go up even before those elections.
“Every day, prices are increasing. Believe you me when we started this process, we have done six or seven different budgets because we are constantly having to review. But all I can tell you is that it is well in excess as at today of N2bn.”
Osibodu said N70m has been generated by the commission to the charges collected from all candidates.
He described the amount as a drop in the ocean compared to the funds needed to conduct the election.
The chairman said eight political parties will be participating in the November 16 election, out of which, only two have submitted candidates for all the chairmanship and councillorships seats.
He reiterated his commitment to conducting a free and credible election.
“On my own honour, with my integrity on the line, I have said it many times and I say it here today, I am working on a free, fair, credible and transparent elections,” he assured.
Proofreading and editing by Gift Luckson and Hafsat Aleeyu Muye, Editor and Journalist at Neptune Prime.
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