INEC reiterates need for tribunal, says it can’t prosecute its own erring staff
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu, a Professor now in the eye of the storm for allegedly bungling the 2023 presidential vote, has reiterated the need for an electoral offences tribunal to prosecute election law violators, including INEC employees.
Yakubu said the lack of prosecution and punishment is the reason why ballot riggers and other electoral offenders escape the law and become repeat offenders with impunity.
He insisted at a post-election review meeting with the media in Abuja that an Electoral Offences Tribunal has to take over the power of prosecution because the INEC cannot handle the task.
Yakubu warned Nigeria’s electoral process will remain ineffective without a proper agency to deal with electoral offenders.
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INEC can’t prosecute its erring staff, says Yakubu
Yakubu stressed the need to implement the recommendations of electoral reform panels – headed by Mohammed Uwais, Ahmed Lemu, and Ken Nnamani – which were set up by former Presidents Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari respectively.
“Here we are, the commission is saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting electoral offenders. I have said repeatedly that, in our case, some of the offenders may be INEC officials. How practicable is it for us to get ourselves prosecuted?” Yakubu wondered, per The Guardian.
“That is why, consistently, committee upon committee have made recommendations since the Uwais committee of 2009, Lemu committee of 2011, and Nnamani committee of 2017 that there should be an electoral offences commission to deal with all violators of electoral laws, whoever they are; whether voters, INEC officials or ad hoc staff.
“So, that is a practical concern. Some of the things we have been doing may not lead to successful prosecution in the manner that we are dealing with them.”
Yakubu pledged the INEC will improve on its successes in the governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo scheduled for November 11.
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) President Chris Isiguzo stressed the need for stakeholders to tackle hate speech and misinformation without infringing on the principle of free speech.
He also urged them discuss how to “ensure equitable access to media platforms for all political actors, promoting inclusivity and fair representation.”