Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, has backed the decision of FCT minister Nyesom Wike to build a new headquarters for the electoral body.

“I wish to make it clear that this is not the first time the FCDA is constructing an office for INEC,” said Mr Yakubu at the launch of design and construction of the new commission headquarters on Tuesday. “When the commission relocated its HQ from Lagos to Abuja, it was the FCDA that provided the offices in Garki.” 

While explaining the reasons behind the need for a new headquarters for INEC, Mr Yakubu said every facility at the current headquarters was overstretched, from offices to meeting rooms, and included other engagements with stakeholders. 

He added, “The general staff meeting only takes outside the commission. FCDA built offices for the commission to accommodate the national headquarters as well as the FCT office. When the building was overstretched, the FCDA again built our present headquarters.”

Mr Yakubu further noted that the launch was the fourth time in the last 34 years that the FCDA had stepped in to either provide offices or accommodations for the commission.

On Monday, Mr Wike unveiled plans to build a new headquarters for the INEC a year after the minister built houses for judges.

“Today is for the commissioning of the Mabushi Bus Terminal. We will also flag off the construction of the new INEC HQ. We are eagerly waiting to welcome Mr President,” the FCT minister announced in a post on X.

Meanwhile, the announcement had elicited a flurry of reactions from Nigerians, who condemned the move as utterly unnecessary, accusing the former Rivers governor of setting a wrong precedent. But President Bola Tinubu has backed the minister’s plan.