The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is once again advocating for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Tribunal, emphasizing the need for a specialized court to address the growing backlog of election-related crimes. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu made this call in Abuja on Friday during the commission’s first regular quarterly consultative meeting with the media, 9am news reports.
Yakubu highlighted that electoral offences often linger for years due to the current judicial system, where such cases are handled by Magistrate and State High Courts that are already overwhelmed with various other legal matters. “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,” he noted. He further explained that delays in prosecution often allow electoral crimes to be carried over from one general election to another, making it difficult to ensure justice is served.
Citing a recent example, Yakubu pointed out that it took nearly six years to convict a returning officer in Akwa Ibom for electoral malpractice stemming from the 2019 general election. He stressed that such delays undermine the integrity of the electoral process and reinforce the need for an independent tribunal dedicated to handling election-related offences within a fixed timeframe.
To tackle the backlog, INEC has been collaborating with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to prosecute 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 general election. So far, convictions have been secured in Kebbi and Kogi States, while a separate partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has led to successful prosecutions of vote-buying cases in Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe States. Despite these successes, many cases remain unresolved, further strengthening the argument for an Electoral Offences Tribunal.
With electoral justice at stake, INEC continues to push for urgent legislative action to establish a tribunal that will ensure timely and effective prosecution of election offenders.
Stay tuned to 9am News Nigeria for more Breaking News, Business News, Sports updates And Entertainment Gists.
