The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has disclosed that the electoral umpire did not receive monetary support from international development partners to conduct the 2023 general election
He said this at a meeting with Civil Society Organisations on the review of the 2023 general election.
Yakubu who has been under serious attack over the irregularities that marred the last election, gave the clarification to address insinuations that the commission received huge sums of money from development partners for the poll.
He explained that the commission only received cash support from the federal government.
Yakubu said, “However, it is necessary to seize this opportunity to correct the impression in some sections of the public that the Commission received huge sums of money from development partners for the election.
“On the contrary, and for the avoidance of doubt, the Commission did not receive any direct funding or cash support from international development partners.
“Indeed, it has been a longstanding policy of the present Commission not to receive direct funding and cash transfers from sources other than the federal government of Nigeria.”
He added that the support came in the form of technical advice, civic and voter education, organisation of meetings and capacity-building workshops, as well as the publication of documents.
“On this note, it is appropriate for the Commission to express its appreciation to civil society organisations and development partners for their enormous support to the Commission during the 2023 General Election.
“This came in the form of technical advice, civic and voter education, organisation of meetings and capacity-building workshops, as well as the publication of documents.”
