The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has renewed its push for the establishment of a special tribunal dedicated to electoral offences.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, emphasised the need for such a tribunal due to the growing backlog of electoral offence cases.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with the media, Yakubu highlighted the challenges posed by the current judicial process.
“A major challenge to the swift resolution of electoral offences is the lack of a time-bound framework, unlike post-election disputes handled by tribunals.
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“Currently, these cases fall under the jurisdiction of Magistrate and State High Courts in the locations where the offences occurred,” he noted.
He explained that electoral offence cases often receive little priority because courts are burdened with various other matters.
As a result, unresolved cases spill over from one election cycle to another, complicating prosecution efforts.
“To address this, we must push for the creation of an Electoral Offences Tribunal with a defined jurisdiction and strict timelines for handling cases efficiently,” Yakubu stated.
Citing delays in the justice system, he pointed to a case in Akwa Ibom, where it took nearly six years to secure the conviction of a returning officer for offences committed during the 2019 general elections.
Yakubu also provided updates on INEC’s ongoing legal efforts.
“Through our partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), we are prosecuting 774 suspects from the 2023 elections.
“So far, we have secured convictions in Kebbi and Kogi States, while our collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on vote-buying has led to successful prosecutions in Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe States. However, many cases remain unresolved,” he added.
