Electoral offences, major threat to free, fair elections in Nigeria – INEC

As off-cycle Edo State Governorship Election approaches, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has identified electoral offences as one of the major threats to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

Newspot reports that the Commission noted that electoral offences also increase political tension and trigger violence.

Mrs Rita Amadi, Head, Legal Department, Legal Services, INEC office, Edo State, made the assertion in a paper presented at a one-day engagement with youth groups in Edo State on the role of youths ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship election.

Amadi, represented by Mrs Oba Agbonifo, a legal officer in the Benin office, in her paper titled, ‘Electoral Offences and Penalties’, said the essence of the presentation was to intimate the electorate especially the youths of the existence and applicability of the electoral laws as well as punishment and penalties when breached.

She noted that the prosecution of electoral offences in Nigeria which has become a herculan task.

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According to her, one of the major hurdles against the effective prosecution of electoral offences is the abject inefficiency of criminal investigation in Nigeria.

Amadi posited that efforts at mitigating electoral offences could only become effective with the arrest, prosecution and sanctioning of the offenders, to end the reign of impunity.

“Electoral offences may be committed by an individual or group of persons and such individuals shall be held liable and punished in accordance with the extant laws.

“Our laws are replete with a reasonable amount of these offences and penalties. Generally speaking, the youths make up a greater percentage of our population, as well as the age bracket that participate in our electoral process at different levels.

“Against this backdrop it’s critical that the youths get to intimately understand the electoral offences,” she said.

The INEC legal officer said the commission’s chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, had at a press briefing, noted that “although the commission is empowered by the Electoral Act to prosecute electoral offences, it lacks the power and resources to make arrests and thoroughly investigate the offences”.

She, however, advised all political stakeholders to assist the Commission to fulfil its mandate as an election management body by enlightening its agents, supporters or partners to do away with the “do or die” mentality in the electioneering process.