By Balarabe Oshiafi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the media to actively support the call for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Tribunal, emphasizing the need for a dedicated legal framework to ensure the swift prosecution of electoral offenders.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made the appeal during the commission’s first regular quarterly consultative meeting with media stakeholders in Abuja. He stressed that while the commission remains committed to improving the electoral process, dealing with electoral offences remains a major challenge due to the slow judicial process.
According to Yakubu, electoral offences are currently prosecuted in Magistrate and State High Courts, where they compete for attention with numerous other cases. Unlike post-election disputes handled by tribunals with strict timelines, electoral offences lack a defined timeframe, leading to prolonged trials and delays in justice delivery.
“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. Consequently, electoral offences are carried over from one general election to another, which may sometimes affect the diligent prosecution of the cases,” Yakubu said.
He cited the recent successful prosecution of a returning officer in Akwa Ibom State, which took nearly six years to conclude. Similarly, INEC is currently prosecuting 774 electoral offenders from the 2023 general elections in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). While some convictions have been secured in Kebbi and Kogi States, many cases remain pending, highlighting the need for an Electoral Offences Tribunal.
Yakubu called on the media to amplify advocacy for the tribunal, stating that its establishment would enhance electoral integrity by ensuring swift prosecution of offenders, particularly those involved in vote-buying and electoral malpractice.
