By: Abba Onyekachukwu, Abuja.
As a follow up, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to electoral integrity in the country. On Tuesday, the President officially flagged off the design and construction of a new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters annex in Abuja.
This was contained in a press statement from Rabi Umar Musa, the Assignment Director Press Office of the Minister on the same Tuesday.
The President declared that the new edifice would serve as a “hub for innovation, planning, training, and transparency in electoral administration.” He emphasized that Nigeria’s democracy is continuously evolving, demanding corresponding growth in the institutions responsible for its protection. Tinubu pledged his administration’s full support to ensure INEC is adequately equipped with infrastructure and necessary resources to execute its constitutional mandate.
The President lauded the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, for initiating the project, describing it as a significant step towards protecting Nigeria’s democracy. Tinubu commended the Minister’s vision, courage, and dedication to national progress.
The Acting Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, provided a technical overview of the project, stating that it consists of a five-story building on a 1.5-hectare land. The building will feature modern amenities, including a media centre, library, museum, and auditorium.
The FCT Minister assured the President that the project would be completed within his first tenure, leveraging the administration’s support to ensure the contractor delivers a quality structure. Barr. Wike also clarified the FCDA’s historical role in constructing public buildings, including the original INEC headquarters.
The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, expressed profound gratitude to President Tinubu and the FCT Minister for facilitating the project. He highlighted the Commission’s long-standing challenge of inadequate office accommodation and noted that the new annex would significantly ease operational constraints.