President Buhari has told the National Assembly that the 2019 general elections will be costing about 242.4 billion Naira. The President said this today in a letter sent to the National Assembly, seeking that the funds be drawn from the 2018 and 2019 budgets.
The president in the letter explained that implementing a budget of N9.12 trillion for 2018 will be extremely challenging and therefore does not consider it expedient to increase the 2018 budget to accommodate the funds needed for the 2019 General Elections.
According to him, the National Assembly made cuts amounting to N347 billion in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to N578 billion.
He had earlier criticised the National Assembly for reducing allocations for some projects and including thousands of projects into the budget without consultation with the Executive.
The President asked the National Assembly to transfer the funds appropriated for the new projects which are inserted in the 2018 budget to cover the sum of N228.8 billion for the elections. The president noted that the balance of 78.3 billion will be provided in the 2019 budget.
“Many of the projects cut are critical and may be difficult, if not impossible, to implement with the reduced allocation. He has, therefore, asked the National Assembly to transfer the funds appropriated for the new projects which are inserted in the 2018 budget to cover the sum of 228.8 billion Naira for the elections.
he President also noted that the balance will be provided in the 2019 budget.
See below a proposed budget for the 2019 election
The total amount for the 2019 general elections
2018 supplementary – N164, 104, 792, 065
2019 budget – N78, 314, 530, 535
Total – N242, 445, 322, 600
Office of the National Security Adviser
2018 supplementary – N3, 855, 500, 000
2019 budget – 426, 000, 000
Total – 4, 281, 500,000
INEC
2018 supplementary – N143, 512, 529, 445
2019 budget – N45, 695, 015,438
Total: N189, 207, 544, 893
NSCDC
2018 supplementary – N1, 845, 597, 000
2019 budget – N1, 727, 997, 500
Total – N3, 573, 534, 500
Nigeria Police
2018 supplementary – N11, 457, 417, 432
2019 budget – N19, 083, 900, 000
Total – N30, 541, 317, 432
NIS
2018 supplementary – N530, 110, 078
2019 budget – N2, 098,033, 142
Total – N2, 628, 143, 320
DSS
2018 supplementary – N2, 903, 638, 000
2019 budget – N9,309,644,455
Total – N12, 213, 282, 455
Buhari said that the supplementary/amendment budget will solve some critical issues which he hopes “the National Assembly will be able to expeditiously consider.”
