Date Published: 11/14/09

Reps probe INEC spending, plans for 2011 polls

HOW the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria's electoral body, spent the revenue appropriated to them in this year's Fiscal Appropriation Act, is being secretly investigated by the House of Representatives.

An indication to this effect emerged at the weekend in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, when the House Committee on Electoral Matters came calling for their oversight function.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, who also led his team on a courtesy call on the state Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, said they were in the state to carry out their oversight function and ''assess INEC utilization of funds appropriated to it in this year’s budget before considering the next budget estimate''.

Adar said the committee was also looking at INEC’s level of preparation for the next election, especially as the electoral body was introducing the concept of ''zonal stores'' to house sensitive electoral matters for easy distribution to states within the zone.

Amaechi had earlier urged the National Assembly to ensure the passage of Electoral Reform bill to guarantee free and fair elections in the country.

Governor Amaechi was speaking at Government House, Port Harcourt while addressing members of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters who paid him a courtesy visit.

The governor claimed that the success or failure of democracy in Nigeria rests on the shoulders of those charged with the responsibility of effecting necessary changes in the system, particularly through the electoral reform bill, adding that failure to effect the changes now would be detrimental to the process.

“I agree that there are other reasons why people fight with their blood during elections, but if the electoral processes are free, transparent and provides equal opportunity for everybody, then violence can be reduced but when a man has no faith in the system, he takes law into his hands”, Governor Amaechi said.

He called for solutions to the electoral problems facing the country, noting that the essential element to be put in place is the punishment for breaching electoral law, pointing out that under such situation, the criminals would not allow the politicians to use them.

He claimed that when votes count at elections, the politicians would become more responsible while commending the National Assembly and President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in their pursuit for a transparent election in the country.

But the House of Reps committee chairman claimed that his committee was ready to assist INEC succeed, pointing out that having monitored elections in other countries, ''the problem lies with the people who must strive to check irregularities''.

He then thanked the governor for the warm reception accorded the committee members and requested the state government to assist INEC by providing them with a better land to build the zonal store as the present location does not have space for trucks to bring in materials.

Earlier, the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Josiah Uwazuronye said the committee members came to see the INEC Central Store that is located in Port Harcourt for the South-South geo-political zone which is aimed at ensuring proper storage of electoral materials.