Electoral Offenders: INEC Refutes SERAP’s Allegations
By People’s Voice Nigeria | News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to the allegations made by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) regarding the prosecution of electoral offenders from the 2023 general election.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, INEC expressed concern over what it described as SERAP’s “Misrepresentation of facts” and clarified its commitment to prosecuting electoral offenders.
According to the statement signed by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the Commission has not neglected its duty to prosecute electoral offenders.
The electoral umpire highlighted that 215 case files, including 52 cases from the Presidential and National Assembly elections and 163 from the Governorship and State Assembly elections, have been transferred to the Nigeria Police for prosecution.
INEC underscored its collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), to ensure accountability in the electoral process.
A team of 18 lawyers from the EFCC and INEC has been mobilized to tackle vote-buying and other electoral violations.
Successful prosecutions have already been recorded in Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Gombe, and Kwara States.
The Commission further noted that electoral offences lack time-bound constraints, unlike pre- and post-election cases, which prolong the prosecution process.
INEC emphasized its ongoing advocacy for electoral reform, including the establishment of an Electoral Offences Tribunal, to expedite these cases.
INEC reassured Nigerians of its commitment to enforcing electoral laws and urged SERAP to conduct proper fact-checking before making claims, as relevant information on its efforts is publicly available.
