There are strong indications that the 2019 elections may be hindered following the failure of the National Assembly to consider President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for supplementary budget for the polls before embarking on recess.
A letter sent by President Buhari to the lawmakers demanded for a supplementary budget of N242 billion for the election.
Among those to benefit from the funds are the Independent National Electoral Commission, Department of State Services and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
However, on Tuesday, after series of drama inside and outside of the National Assembly, the lawmakers proceeded on vacation without considering the request of President Buhari.
The lawmakers proceeded on the vacation after 15 members of the All Progressives Congress announced their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress.
The vacation is to end on September 25, 2018 and plenary will resume on September 26, 2018, which will be four months to the 2019 general elections.
In his letter to the National Assembly, dated July 11, which was addressed to the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, President Buhari explained that INEC and the security agencies have submitted their requests in preparation for the 2019 general elections.
He proposed the sum of N164 billion to be provided for through virement or in the form of a supplementary budget.
However, since the President forwarded the letter to National Assembly last week, lawmakers did not give attention to the request before they proceeded on the annual recess.
But before the recess, the Senate had debated the letter by the President.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (APC-Kwara-South), said: “I will not support it.
“I don’t believe that.
“That is not planning.
“Since we held the last poll, the next election time had been fixed.
“Since we did the last election, we already knew when we must do the next election as the Electoral Act stipulates.
“We already knew that a new government would be inaugurated on May 29, 2019.”
Also, Senator Adesoji Akanbi (APC-Oyo-South) said other options might be considered by the lawmakers.
Akanbi said: “There must be other ways to fund the elections than reducing what the National Assembly budgeted for projects.
“We all know the importance of those projects.
“Most of the projects are infrastructural in nature and spending on them will create employment and enhance the growth of our economy.”