November 11 Polls: FEC Approves ₦18 Billion For Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa Election

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of ₦18 billion for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct off-season governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states.

Naija News reports that the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, confirmed that the approved sum is part of the ₦2.1 trillion 2023 supplementary budget.

According to him, the approval of the supplementary budget was to address urgent issues.

Bagudu, at the State House in Abuja after the FEC meeting, said, “Equally, ₦18 billion was provided for the Independent National Electoral Commission to support them in the conduct of the Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo elections.

”FEC approved the sum of ₦2,176,791,286,033 as a supplementary budget, and this supplementary budget is to fund urgent issues, including ₦605 billion for national defence and security.

“This is to sustain the gains made in security and to accelerate, and these are funds that are needed by the security agencies before the year runs out.

“Equally, the sum of ₦210 billion is provided for the payment of wage Awards, in negotiation with the Nigeria Labour Congress.

“The Federal Government agreed to pay ₦35,000 each to about 1.5 million employees of the Federal Government for September, October, November, and December 2023.

“And that amounts to about ₦210 billion, which has been approved and also ₦400 billion as Cash Transfer payments.

“You may recall that the Federal Government secured a $800m loan from the World Bank to pay cash transfers of ₦25,000 to 15 million households. The $800 million is for two months: October and November. The President graciously approved that an additional month should be funded by the federal government and that is what this ₦100 billion is for.”