Na wetin Citizen Monitors dey talk? Dem don raise alarm for dis proposed ₦1.01 trillion budget wey government wan use for 2027 general elections. Dem don label am as too much money wey no make sense at all, especially with all the wahala wey dey happen for Naija right now.
Omo, as e be, dem come drop statement on Monday wey Olajumoke Alawode-James, the spokesperson for Citizen Monitors, talk say make we no allow dem deceive us. According to her, dis kind huge allocation fit no give us any change if dem no show us wetin dem go do differently from the 2023 elections wey fall hand.
“Elections na public service, no be show wey dey entertain people,” she yan. Dem dey complain say di plans no clear and without any serious accountability, dis budget na just wahala waiting to happen. E no go make sense for Nigerians to chop dem like say we dey carry fire go market.
Citizen Monitors remind us say in 2023, dem don spend more than ₦300 billion for elections wey get issues like technological failures and all the wahala wey follow am. No audit report show how all dis money take waka. Dem dey argue say before dem go ask Nigerians to bring another ₦1.01 trillion, make we first sabi wetin carry the last money go bush.
Dem come request several things wey suppose help the situation—like forensic audit of how dem spend 2023 money, proper breakdown of the new budget, independent monitoring by civil society, and even open access to polling unit results. Na serious matter dis oh! People dey suffer to buy food, pay school fees and all, how dem want make we fit dey waste this kind money on election wey fit still flop?
Dem even talk say if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and our so-called leaders wan gain trust from we the people, dem gats show proper transparency. Make dem open dem books so we fit see how every kobo go translate to votes wey we fit count.
As the Federal Government dey prepare budget for 2026, e don raise eyebrows as to why INEC dey get such big budget allocation, which na ₦1.013 trillion! E no too dey easy for ordinary Nigerian body wey dey manage for this economic gridlock to understand how money wey fit better life for dem go dey use to dey hold elections.
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