Lack Of Tribunal Responsible For Slow Prosecution Of Electoral Offences — INEC Boss, Yakubu

The New Diplomat
Writer

Ad

2027: Nigeria’s Defining Democratic Test – Imperative for a Free and Fair Elections.

By Sonny Iroche Introduction: A Nation at a Crossroads Since attaining independence from Britain on October 1, 1960, Nigeria has stood as a continental giant, Africa’s most populous country, blessed with vast natural resources, strategic geographical positioning, and a highly educated, industrious diaspora. Yet, in spite of these advantages, the nation’s democratic journey has been…

Sad! Senator Dies in Abuja Hospital While Raising Funds for Treatment

By Abiola Olawale Former Senator Ibrahim Musa Kontagora, who represented Niger North Senatorial District of Niger State at the Senate from 2011 to 2015, has passed away in an Abuja hospital on Thursday. Reports indicate that Senator Kontagora passed away after a Hospital in Abuja allegedly delayed a critical surgery due to an unpaid $15,000…

Why Oil Prices May Be Stuck Below $72

Kuwait expects oil prices to remain below $72 per barrel in the near term, Tareq Al-Roumi, the Oil Minister of one of OPEC’s top producers, said on Thursday. Brent crude prices were trading at around $67 per barrel early on Thursday. Kuwait, as well as OPEC, are monitoring the market and all statements coming from…

Ad

By Kolawole Ojebisi

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has ascribed the agonizingly slow prosecution of electoral offences to lack of tribunal that have a specific jurisdiction and limited timeframe for the dispensation of cases

Yakubu said this on Friday at the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with the media in Abuja.

He said a major obstacle to the speedy dispensation of justice is that electoral offences are not time-bound as is the case with post-election offences through the tribunals and were also not accorded priority, thus the delay leading to cases that are carried over from one general election to another.

“Judicial and legislative action in the last few days underscore our effort to deal with offences involving officials of the Commission assigned to carry out designated responsibilities. However, it also highlights the challenges we face in dealing with electoral offences.

“The recent successful prosecution of a Returning Officer in Akwa Ibom State is a case in point. The commission has been diligently pursuing the case which arose from the 2019 General Election.

“In this particular case, it took nearly six years to achieve the successful prosecution at the trial court,” he said.

The INEC boss noted that through INEC’s collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), cases involving 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 General Election are being prosecuted.

He said, “So far, successful prosecutions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi states while our collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on vote-buying has yielded similar results in Lagos, Kwara and Gombe states. Yet, many cases are still pending.

“A major obstacle to the speedy dispensation of justice in this regard is that electoral offences are not time-bound as is the case with post-election offences through the tribunals.

“Furthermore, they are solely prosecuted by the Magistrate and State High Courts in the jurisdiction where the alleged offences are committed.

“No priority attention is given to such cases as the courts deal with a variety of other cases. Consequently, electoral offences are carried over from one General Election to another which may sometimes affect the diligent prosecution of the cases.

“It is therefore imperative to renew our call for the creation of the Electoral Offences Tribunal that have a specific jurisdiction and limited timeframe for the speedy dispensation of cases.”

He urged the media to join in the advocacy for the good of the nation’s electoral democracy.

Ad

X whatsapp