THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the newly nominated Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, to prioritise the effective prosecution of politicians and their sponsors allegedly involved in electoral offences including violence, bribery, vote-buying, conspiracy, and undue influence during both general and off-cycle elections since 2015.
SERAP made the appeal in a letter signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, according to a statement released on Sunday.
“The general elections and off-cycle elections conducted since 2015 have been characterised by grave electoral offences, including violence, bribery, vote-buying, conspiracy, and undue influence, making a mockery of INEC.
“High-ranking politicians and their sponsors are rarely brought to justice for electoral offences, reinforcing a culture of impunity for violations of Nigerians’ democratic rights,” Oluwadare said.
The ICIR reported that the National Council of State approved the appointment of Joash Ojo Amupitan, a Professor and a senior advocate, as the new Chairman of INEC, following the resignation of Professor Mahmood Yakubu weeks before the expiration of his second term of five years.
The approval came after President Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name during the Council’s meeting held on Thursday, October 9, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
SERAP wants the commission’s new chief to “prioritise the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections in 2027, in conformity with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international obligations.”
The organisation also urged him to ensure that any reform of the Electoral Act includes provisions for the timely prosecution of electoral offences and access of voters to justice and effective remedies for violations of their fundamental rights.
Oluwadare insisted that Amupitan should ensure that any reform of the Electoral Act includes provisions for the timely prosecution of electoral offences and access of voters to justice and effective remedies for violations of their fundamental rights.
“Impunity for past electoral offences is a major barrier to free and fair elections in Nigeria. Amupitan must demonstrate that INEC under his watch would not tolerate electoral offences in the country’s elections,” Oluwadare said.
The Deputy Director said that unless the legacy of impunity for these grave electoral offences is combated and perpetrators, especially high-ranking politicians and their sponsors are effectively prosecuted and voters provided with access to justice, those contemplating electoral crimes will feel unconstrained in future elections.
“There cannot be a fair electoral process if the body managing the electoral process fails to ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of electoral offences and access of voters to justice and effective remedies.
“No right is more precious in a democratic society than that of having a voice in the election of those who govern the citizens, and other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if unresolved electoral offences are not thoroughly investigated and prosecuted, and voters are not provided with access to justice,” he said.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.