The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.

An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.

The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.

He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.

“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”

On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”

The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.

He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.

Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.

Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.

He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.

He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.

In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.

The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.

The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.

He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.

“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.

The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.

Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.

The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.

“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or  the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.

“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”

The impeachment moves against Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Ordu, by the Rivers State House of Assembly has suffered a setback following the refusal by the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Simeon C. Amadi, to set up a seven-man investigate panel to probe the governor and his deputy.

Justice Amadi hinged his decision on subsisting interim court injunctions and pending appeals.

Recall that the Assembly members had earlier requested the Chief Judge to set up a seven-man investigative panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara and his deputy.

In a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule, the Chief Judge acknowledged receipt of two separate letters from the Assembly, both dated January 16, 2026, requesting the constitution of an investigative panel pursuant to Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

However, the State Chief Judge explained that his hands were tied by ongoing judicial proceedings directly connected to the impeachment process.

He disclosed that his office had been served with interim injunctions issued on January 16, 2026, arising from two separate suits challenging the actions of the House of Assembly.

The suits include Suit No. OYHC/6/CS/2026, filed by the Deputy Governor against the Speaker and 32 others, and Suit No. OYHC/7/CS/2026, instituted by Governor Fubara against the Speaker and 32 others.

According to him,  the interim injunctions expressly restrain him from “receiving, forwarding, considering and or howsoever acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other documents or communication from the 1st -27th and 31st Defendants for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the purported allegations of misconduct against the Claimant/Applicant for seven days.”

Justice Amadi stressed that obedience to court orders is non-negotiable in a constitutional democracy, regardless of personal opinions about such orders.

“Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law are the bedrock of democracy and all persons and authorities are expected to obey subsisting orders of court of competent jurisdiction, irrespective of perception of its regularity or otherwise,” he stated.

To further underscore his position, the Chief Judge cited judicial precedent, referring to the case of Hon. Dele Abiodun v. The Hon. Chief Judge of Kwara State & 3 Ors. (2007), in which the Chief Judge of Kwara State was faulted for proceeding to constitute a panel despite a subsisting court order restraining such action.

Quoting directly from the judgment, Justice Amadi recalled: “I liken the scenario created by the Chief Judge to the position of a chief priest and custodian of an oracle turning round to desecrate the oracle,” a passage he said highlights the sacred duty of judicial officers to uphold the law.

He added that the judiciary, as “the custodian and head of the judicial arm of the State, ought to abide by the laws of the State, nay the land…”

He further  noted that the Rivers State House of Assembly had already filed appeals against the interim injunctions at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, with notices of appeal served on January 19 and 20, 2026.

“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders.

“I am therefore legally disabled at this point, from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant,” the Chief Judge declared.

He concluded by expressing hope that “the Rt. Hon. Speaker and the Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly will be magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.