INEC prosecuting 774 electoral offenders from 2023 elections, says Mahmood Yakubu

Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission is prosecuting 774 electoral offenders from the 2023 general election.

Yakubu spoke on Friday during a meeting with journalists at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

He reassured the public that the commission is committed to continually improving the electoral process.

He also noted that the recent Ondo state governorship election has been widely recognised as an improvement, particularly in the management of logistics and the performance of election technology.

Yakubu explained that recent judicial and legislative actions underscore INEC’s efforts to address offenses committed by officials assigned to specific responsibilities within the commission.

“The recent successful prosecution of a returning officer in Akwa Ibom state is a prime example,” he said.

“The commission has been diligently pursuing this case, which stems from the 2019 general election.

“In this particular case, it took nearly six years to secure a successful prosecution at the trial court.

“Through our collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), we are prosecuting cases involving 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 general election.

“So far, successful prosecutions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi states.

“Additionally, our collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on vote-buying has led to similar successes in Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe states. However, many cases are still pending.”

The INEC chairman highlighted a major challenge in the timely resolution of these cases.

“A significant obstacle to the swift administration of justice is that electoral offenses are not time-bound, unlike post-election offenses, which are handled through tribunals,” he said.

“Furthermore, electoral offenses are exclusively prosecuted by magistrates and state high courts in the jurisdictions where the offenses occur.

“These cases are not given priority, as the courts also deal with a wide range of other matters.

“As a result, electoral offenses often carry over from one general election to the next, which can hinder the diligent prosecution of cases.”

Yakubu emphasised the need for reform, noting that, “It is therefore essential to renew our call for the creation of an electoral offenses tribunal with specific jurisdiction and a limited timeframe for the swift resolution of cases.”

The INEC chairman also appealed to the media to “join in the patriotic advocacy for the betterment of our electoral democracy”.