Mr Jerry Manwe, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, on Sunday said that the committee would ensure that INEC was adequately funded for the 2015 elections.
Manwe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the committee would look at the budget of INEC for 2014 to ensure that it was adequate funded for the general elections.
“Of course if INEC wants more funds and the essence is to conduct free and credible elections, it will be provided for,” he said.
Manwe said that the committee would go ahead to propose it if more funds would enable the commission to conduct credible, free and fair elections.
He, however, said that the House of Representatives could only propose funds to agencies of government.
According to him, the committee will also look at the entire operations of the commission to ensure that it is adequately prepared for the task ahead.
“First, we will look at their budget and invite the commission and ask it on the level of its preparation towards the 2015 elections, ” he said.
The legislator said that everything would depend on how much fund was given to the commission.
Manwe said that the committee would also thinker with some aspects of the electoral act that required amendment.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had at a stakeholders’ meeting, requested for N93 billion to conduct the next general elections in February 2015.
