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The Digest:

The Federal Government has proposed N135.22 billion in the 2026 budget for "Electoral Adjudication and Post Election Provision" – a fund for managing legal disputes after the 2027 elections. The allocation sits under Service-Wide Votes, a centrally managed contingency pool. Opposition parties and civil society groups have questioned the provision, with the PDP suggesting INEC is anticipating failure, and the ADC calling the amount "excessive." Human rights lawyer Femi Falana argued INEC may not spend more than N20 billion on election legal battles.

Key Points:
  • The budget suggests the government expects widespread election disputes.
  • Critics argue that credible elections would drastically reduce litigation costs.
  • INEC's legal department could handle cases without external counsel.
  • The allocation is separate from INEC's N1.01 trillion statutory transfer.
  • Experts call for real-time electronic result transmission to curb disputes.
Sources: Punch Newspapers