Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has called for the commission to receive its funding directly from the federation account, saying the move would strengthen its independence and enhance the credibility of elections in Nigeria.

Amupitan said direct statutory funding would enable the electoral body to carry out its constitutional responsibilities without undue financial constraints, thereby promoting free, fair and transparent elections.

His call comes months after President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill into law in February, following its passage by the National Assembly after extensive legislative review and deliberations.

At the signing ceremony, Tinubu praised lawmakers for their efforts in refining the legislation, describing the amendments as important steps toward deepening democracy and ensuring political stability.

The Electoral Act has since undergone further legal and legislative developments. In April, the House of Representatives amended the law to make the Court of Appeal the final court for pre-election disputes involving governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

More recently, in July, the Court of Appeal in Abuja struck down Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, ruling that the provisions conflicted with relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution.

The appellate court held in a unanimous judgment that the provisions of a subsidiary law cannot invalidate or restrict qualifications already guaranteed by the Constitution.