National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its call for the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute electoral offenders, citing the slow pace of justice in electoral cases.
According to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the lack of a time-bound framework for electoral offences and the absence of priority attention from courts are major obstacles to speedy justice.
Yakubu emphasized that electoral offences are not given priority attention by courts, which are already overwhelmed with various cases.
This, he noted, leads to a delay in prosecution, with some cases carrying over from one general election to another.
To address this challenge, Yakubu renewed his call for the creation of an Electoral Offences Tribunal with specific jurisdiction and a limited timeframe for dispensing cases.
He urged the media to join in advocating for this cause, which would strengthen the country’s electoral democracy.
Despite the challenges, INEC has recorded some successes in prosecuting electoral offenders.
Through its collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the commission is prosecuting 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 General Election.
Successful prosecutions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi states, as well as in Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe states, where the commission collaborated with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on vote-buying cases.
Yakubu cited the recent prosecution of a Returning Officer in Akwa Ibom State, which took nearly six years to achieve, as an example of the challenges faced in prosecuting electoral offences.
He emphasized the need for a more efficient and effective system to address these challenges and ensure that justice is served in a timely manner.
