LG Poll: Ogun Commission Allocates N1bn for Transportation, N200m for Voter Register Printing
- The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has allocated over N2 billion for the November 16 local government election
- OGSIEC Chairman Babatunde Osibodu explained that the commission had revised its budget multiple times due to fuel price hikes
- Despite the financial challenges, Osibodu remains committed to conducting a transparent and credible election, with eight political parties participating in the poll
The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has budgeted over N2 billion for the upcoming November 16 local government election.
This substantial sum reflects rising operational costs, particularly transportation and voter register printing.
Ogun earmark N1billion for transport, N200 for printing ahead of LG election
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Speaking at the “Media Parliament” organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abeokuta, OGSIEC Chairman, Babatunde Osibodu, disclosed the details of the commission’s budget, Daily Trust reported.
He explained that over N1 billion had been earmarked for transportation alone, while more than N200 million would be spent printing the voter register obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Osibodu attributed the large budget increase to inflation and the constant hike in fuel prices. “
The transportation bill for election day, which was around N200 million in 2021, has now skyrocketed to over N1 billion. Fuel prices have gone up almost tenfold since the last election,” he said.
Osibodu emphasized the challenges posed by Nigeria’s current economic environment, stating that the commission had been forced to revise its budget multiple times.
“In 2021, printing the voter register cost us N15 million. Now, the cost has ballooned to over N200 million for the same task due to rising printing costs.
“Our initial budget was based on previous figures, but we’ve had to update it six or seven times due to the rising costs of materials and services,” he said.
Explaining further, Osibodu provided a breakdown of the voter register printing costs, The Punch.
“In 2021, printing each page of the register cost N17 per page. This time around, we are looking at N225 per page because the printing has to be done by a security printer.
So, just printing the voter register will cost us well over N200 million,” he explained.
The OGSIEC chairman also acknowledged that N70 million had been generated through candidate registration fees, but he described this amount as “a drop in the ocean” compared to the overall cost of conducting the election.
Despite the financial burden, Osibodu reaffirmed his commitment to delivering a free and credible election.
Eight political parties are expected to participate in the poll, though only two have fielded candidates for all chairmanship and councillorship seats.
“I can assure the people of Ogun State that despite these challenges, we are working hard to ensure that this election will be transparent, free, and credible,” Osibodu concluded.
The November 16 election is seen as a crucial event in Ogun State, with the electoral body striving to navigate financial and logistical obstacles to ensure a smooth process.
Source: TheTalk.NG
