The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has renewed calls for the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal, stressing the need for a dedicated judicial body to handle cases of electoral malpractice.
Speaking at the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with the media in Abuja on Friday, Yakubu highlighted the challenges in prosecuting electoral offenders, citing delays in the judicial system that allow cases to linger for years.
He referenced the recent conviction of a Returning Officer in Akwa Ibom State, which took nearly six years to conclude, as an example of the slow pace of justice.
“One of these areas of reform is the prosecution of electoral offenders. Judicial and legislative action in the last few days underscored 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,” Yakubu said.
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He noted that unlike post-election petitions, which have strict timelines, electoral offences often take years to resolve.
This, he argued, undermines efforts to deter electoral fraud and ensure accountability.
To address this challenge, Yakubu urged lawmakers and stakeholders to support the creation of an electoral offences tribunal with exclusive jurisdiction and a fixed timeframe for resolving cases.
He also called on the media to advocate for the reform, stressing that a more efficient prosecution process would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
The INEC Chairman revealed that, through collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), cases involving 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 general election were being prosecuted.
Successful convictions had been recorded in Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe states in cases of vote-buying.
The National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Achike Chidi, acknowledged that INEC had been constrained in prosecuting offenders due to legal and structural challenges.
He urged the National Assembly to expedite the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal to ease the commission’s burden and ensure electoral offenders face justice.
