By Samuel Adeola
President Bola Tinubu has officially flagged off the construction of a new annex office for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Abuja.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, commended President Tinubu for his presence and continued support.
He explained that the Commission’s current national headquarters, built in 1997, has become severely overstretched due to the expansion of INEC’s operations.
“Our present headquarters is severely congested. Today, we have 13 full-time Commission members, 22 departments, and 1,048 staff. Every facility; offices, meeting rooms, and support infrastructure is overstretched,” Yakubu said.
He noted that the lack of adequate space has forced INEC to lease two additional buildings in Wuse Zone II to accommodate staff and host regular meetings with stakeholders.
Yakubu disclosed that the new annex was designed by INEC’s in-house technical team.
The structure will include modern office spaces, conference rooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium, and dedicated areas for critical IT infrastructure such as the Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC).
Additionally, the building will house a museum to chronicle Nigeria’s electoral evolution.
“This will provide citizens, especially students who frequently visit the Commission on excursions, an opportunity to learn about the development of our electoral system,” he said.
Describing the project as the fulfillment of a long-standing aspiration, the INEC chairman said, “This is a special moment for me. After nearly ten years of persistent efforts, the construction of the INEC Annex Building is finally becoming a reality.”
