INEC Seeks Media Support for Speedy Prosecution of Electoral Offenders

INEC Seeks Media Support for Speedy Prosecution of Electoral Offenders

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has sought the support of the media in the speedy prosecution of electoral offenders, noting that the Commission has been working tirelessly to improve the electoral process.

Speaking at the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with the media in Abuja on Friday, Prof. Yakubu said, “I want to reassure you of our commitment to continuously improve on the electoral process. Every election or electoral activity presents its own unique challenge and an opportunity to learn lessons for improvement.”

He noted that the recent Ondo State Governorship election has been widely acknowledged to be an improvement, especially in the management of logistics and performance of election technology, adding that the Commission will strive harder to ensure continuous improvement of elections.

Yakubu, however, appealed for the support of all stakeholders, especially in critical areas of reform, saying, “One of these areas of reform is the prosecution of electoral offenders. Judicial and legislative action in the last few days underscore our effort to deal with offences involving officials of the Commission assigned to carry out designated responsibilities.”

He explained that the Commission has been diligently pursuing cases of electoral offences, citing the successful prosecution of a Returning Officer in Akwa Ibom State, which took nearly six years to achieve, as a case in point.

According to him, “Through our collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), cases involving 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 General Election are being prosecuted. So far, successful prosecutions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi States, while our collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on vote-buying has yielded similar results in Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe States.”

Yakubu identified the non-time bound nature of electoral offences as a major obstacle to the speedy dispensation of justice, noting that such cases are solely prosecuted by the Magistrate and State High Courts in the jurisdiction where the alleged offences are committed.

He said, “No priority attention is given to such cases as the courts deal with a variety of other cases. Consequently, electoral offences are carried over from one General Election to another, which may sometimes affect the diligent prosecution of the cases.”

The INEC Chairman therefore called for the creation of an Electoral Offences Tribunal with specific jurisdiction and limited timeframe for the speedy dispensation of cases, urging the media to join in the advocacy for the good of the country’s electoral democracy.

“I urge the media to join in this patriotic advocacy for the good of our electoral democracy,” he said.

The Chairman again, announced that the Commission has released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Anambra State Governorship election to be held on November 8, 2025, and the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) holding on February 21, 2026.

He assured that the Commission’s partnership with the media will be sustained in the best interest of the country’s electoral democracy.

“For our part, I would like to assure you that our partnership with the Union in particular, and the media as a critical stakeholder in the electoral process in general, will be sustained in the best interest of our electoral democracy as has been demonstrated time and again,” he assured.