Lawyers Berate INEC Over Plan To Prosecute Electoral Offenders

Some Lagos lawyers on Monday described as belated, the decision by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to prosecute offenders in the 2011 election.

The lawyers, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said the pronouncement by the chairman of INEC Board of Electoral Institute, Professor Lai Olurode, was a big joke.

NAN reports that Olurode was recently quoted as saying that one million Nigerians, majority of them from Bauchi, Zamfara, Gombe and Bayelsa, who committed various electoral offences in 2011, would be tried.

A lawyer, Mr. Sam Nwachukwu, said it was a big joke as, according to him, INEC had disappointed many Nigerians in their performance before and during the elections.

“INEC disappointed many Nigerians who hoped for a credible election process. The voters‘ registration exercise was characterised by shortcomings that INEC failed to address.

“Prosecuting people for the laxity created by one’s carelessness is totally unacceptable,” he said.

Another lawyer, Mrs. Jennifer Akintola, said that the number of people INEC planned to prosecute was an evidence of unseriousness.

“The 2011 election was far below the expectation of many Nigerians.

“Many candidates who were declared winners have had their victories nullified by tribunals.

“An average Nigerian believes that his vote doesn’t count. INEC cannot redeem its image by prosecuting one million Nigerians. We cannot be fooled,” she said.

In his remark, Mr. Segun Ayelabola, also a lawyer, advised INEC to start preparing for the 2015 elections in order to make necessary improvements on the shortcomings noticed in previous elections.

“This is not what we should be talking about. INEC should begin preparations for the forthcoming elections.

“Nigerians are tired of shoddy electoral processes. We don’t want a repeat of previous mistakes. Let us have credible elections,” he said.