Top Story

2019 Election Funds Not Under Threat – Speaker Dogara

84


By Amos Dunia, Persecond News

Abuja – Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara has said that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, the funding for the 2019 general elections is not in any way under threat.

Dogara explained that there is already provision in the Service Wide Votes in the 2018 Appropriations Act to take care of such contingencies that may arise.

The Speaker also assured that whatever is needed to be done with regards to the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Electoral Act would be taken care of with the commitment and attention required.

Dogara said that the House of Representatives is committed to passing and dealing with the two issues in no time to ensure that the Nigeria have a very credible, fair and transparent election in 2019.”

The Speaker, who stated these while speaking with journalists at the National Assembly, said that there is about three hundred billion naira service wide votes provision in the 2018 budget that can be used to service election funding.
He said that as custodians of the mandate of the Nigerian people, the House of Representatives considers issues affecting Nigerians as top priority, adding that all pending matters, Electoral Act inclusive, would be given accelerated attention.

In his words; “You see, we are servants of the people by our calling as Representatives of Nigerians and we don’t have the right to put our interests forward before the interests of the people. We are here to serve public good, these issues are outstanding and it was never going to be threatened in any way as was widely perceived, because we have a provision in the budget for service-wide votes, about three hundred billion and whatever was the emergency would have been met from that service-wide fund that we have allocated in the budget.

“As we are back, we have set ourselves to accomplish what is there in the interest of the people. Even if it means in a day or two, we will accomplish that, even if it means handling it as we did for the ease of doing business bills.

“There were times that within a week we went through the first, second and third reading and passed it into law just because we saw the need for us to expand the economic space and improve citizens participation and wealth creation and the expansion of our economy, especially during these days of economic recession.

“So nothing is impossible and I can assure you that as soon as we get the reports submitted from the various committees, hopefully within the week, in no time, we should be able to deal with them. Whether it is the Electoral Act or the funding for elections and the appropriate funds for INEC is approved, and I can assure you that in no time, even if it is to be done within a day, we are committed to doing it because the only thing that guarantees democracy is free, fair and transparent elections, and we do not joke with it as politicians because we are aware that there are times when you will run into occasions when the will of the people in the process of transmitting their consent into government positions are truncated.

“It will not serve the interest of democracy, so whatever is needed, apart from even these two issues that we have spoken of, we are committed to passing and dealing with them in no time to ensure that we have a very credible, fair and transparent election in 2019.

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Just In: Delta military killings: DHQ declares Prof. Arthur, Amagben, six others wanted

The Defence Headquarters has declared eight people wanted over the recent killing...

Soneye, NNPC Ltd.’s spokesman, wins NIPR’s Distinguished Spokesperson Award

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company...

Pres. Tinubu pays last respect to 17 soldiers murdered in Delta State

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday extended scholarships to the children of the...

Just in: Bodies of 17 slain gallant soldiers arrive at Abuja military cemetery for burial

The bodies of the 17 military personnel slain recently at Okuama, Delta...

Kidnappers ‘ll be treated as terrorists, they are cowards going after soft targets – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has called for treating those involved in kidnapping as...

Just In: Again, CBN increases interest rate to 24.75 percent

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)...

U.S. bridge collapses after cargo ship collision, casualties feared

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed...

Ease of doing business: NPA MD begins new week working on TinCan Port access road

As part of efforts aimed at consolidating the gains recorded in the...

Just in: How detained Binance Executive Anjarwalla outwits security officials, bolts from custody in Abuja

One of the two Binance executives detained in Abuja for alleged tax...

Breaking: FG files tax evasion charges against Binance

The Federal Government has slammed a four-count charge against Binance, a prominent...

Just in: After 17 days in kidnappers’ den, 287 Kaduna primary school children released

After 17 days in captivity, the 287 Kuriga school children, who were...

In Delta again, six cops shot fatally, six more missing

Barely a week after 17 soldiers including four senior officers were brutally...

Moscow’s terrorist attack: Death toll rises to 115

The Russian investigative committee said at least 115 people have died after...

Water scarcity can fuel conflicts around the world, UN warns

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has warned that...

Insecurity: 16 Nigerian governors endorse state police, constitution review in memos to FG

Amid rising insecurity in the country, the call for state police has...

Transparency, Research, Innovation Driving NNPC Ltd.’s Transformation – EVP Gas, Power, & New Energy

The Executive Vice President, Gas, Power, and New Energy of the Nigerian...

Cost of governance: Tinubu goes tough, slams no-foreign-travel ban on ministers, others for three months

With effect from April 1, 2024, ministers, heads of agencies, and other...

CJN to receive N5.39m monthly, other justices N4.21m as Reps pass judicial officers’ salaries bill

Following the approval of an upward review of the salaries, allowances, and...

FG identifies 15 BDCs, other funders of terrorism, plans sanctions 

The Federal Government says it has identified 15 organizations and persons who...

Murders of 17 officers, soldiers at Okuoma: Tinubu meets with Delta Gov. Oborevwori in Aso Rock

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori visited President Bola Tinubu at the Aso...