*INEC – N189bn; ONSA – N4.2bn; DSS – N9bn; NSCDC – N3.5bn; NPF – N30.5bn; NIS – N2.6bn
ABUJA – True to his earlier promise, President Mohammadu Buhari has revisited the controversial N578 billion Constituency Projects of federal legislators, seeking to withdraw N228 billion therefrom, to finance a N242 billion worth 2019 General Elections.
This is contained in his letter to Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker, Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives respectively, which was read on the floor of the Senate yesterday.
In the 11th July, 2018 letter titled: “Request For Virement and Supplementary 2018 Budget” President Buhari proposed N242,445,322,600 budget for the forthcoming General Elections.
Out of the sum, N164,104,792,065 will come through virement or 2018 Supplementary, while the N78,340,530,535 remainder will come through 2019 Budget.
He summarised the proposed distribution thus:
INEC – N143,512,529,455 (2018 Supplementary), N46,695,015,438 (2019 Budget), total = N189,207,544,893.
ONSA – N3,855,500,000 (2018 Supplementary), N426 million (2019 Budget), total = 4,281,500,000.
DSS – N2,903,638,000 (2018 Supplementary), N9,309,644,455 (2019 Budget), total = N12,213,282,455.
NSCDC – N1,845,597,000 (2018 Supplementary Budget), N1,727,937,500 (2019 Budget), total = N3,537,534,500.
NPF – N11,457,417,432 (Supplementary Budget), N19,083,900,000 (2019 Budget), total = N30,541,317,432.
NIS – N530,110,178 (2018 Supplementary), N2,098,033,142 (2019 Budget), total = 2,628,143,320.
“As you are aware, the 2019 General Election is scheduled to be conducted early in 2019.
To ensure that adequate arrangements are made for free and fair elections, it has become necessary to appropriate funds to enable the relevant agencies to commence preparations.
INEC and the security agencies have accordingly recently submitted their requests.
These have been subjected to the usual budget evaluation. The aggregate cost of the elections is estimated at N242,445,322,600.
However, in the light of prevailing fiscal constraints, I am proposing that the sum of N164,104,792,065 be provided for through virement or supplementation of the 2018 budget.
I propose that the balance of N78,340,530.535 mostly related to personnel allowances, fueling and other costs not required until the election proper, be provided in their 2019 budget”, the letter further read.
On the vaxacious amendments to his earlier budget proposal of about N8.6 trillion to N9.12 trillion by the National Assembly, sounded that further increase was not “expedient”.
“You will also recall that, when I signed the 2018 Appropriation Act, I indicated the need to request the reinstatement of certain cuts made to certain critical projects provided in the original Executive Bili.
I am therefore submitting for your consideration the reinstatement of the most critical of such cuts totaling N64,749,216,150.
The total amount required to be provided for in the 2018 budget for the 2019 General Elections and to restore the identified critical projects to the amount earlier proposed is therefore N228,854,008,215.
Implementing a budget of N9.12 trillion for 2018 will be extremely challenging and therefore, I do not consider it expedient to propose a further increase to the size of the 2018 Expenditure Framework to fund these very important and critical expenditure items.
Accordingly, I invite the Distinguished Senate to consider, in the national interest, re-allocating some of the funds appropriated for the new projects which were inserted into the 2018 Budget proposal totaling N578,319,951,904 to cover the sum of N228,854,008,215 required as noted above.
A schedule setting out a comprehensive list of these inserted projects is attached to this letter for ease of your consideration.
Further to the above kindly find attached the Supplementary Budget and Virement proposal for your consideration
While hoping that this request will receive the expeditious consideration of the Distinguished Senate, please accept, Mr. Senate President the assurances of my highest consideration”, the letter further read.
