The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood has denied report making the rounds that the Five Hundred Billion Naira earmarked for the conduct of direct primaries in the 2022 budget was responsible for President Muhammadu Buhari refusal to assent to the Electoral act as amended.
The INEC boss made this clarification on Thursday when he appeared before the House of representatives Committee on Appropriation at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Mahmood said his visit to the National Assembly was to brief members on INEC’s requirements for the 2023 general elections.
The Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Muktar Betara said based on the interactions with the INEC boss, the adoption of direct primaries falls under the purview of individual political parties
The House of Representatives had invited the chairman of INEC over cost of conducting a direct mode of primary.