INEC To Prosecute One Million Electoral Offenders

At least one million suspects are to be prosecuted over offences arising from the 2011 voter registration and general elections, the Chairman, INEC Board of Electoral Institute, Professor Lai Olurode, has said.

Olurode, who is also National Commissioner of INEC in charge of Training and Research, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja that the prosecution had been “a big problem”, because of paucity of funds and manpower.

He said the Independent National Electoral Commission was collaborating with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to facilitate the prosecution at minimal costs, adding that Bauchi, Zamfara, Gombe and Bayelsa were among states with the highest number of suspects.

“In actual fact, some of those apprehended have been prosecuted and convicted but the number was just too small compared to those remaining.

He said NBA as a body and stakeholder committed to sanitising electoral process in the country, had offered INEC a window that would lower the cost of prosecution.

“All over the country, there are NBA branches and the branch in each state will take up the case and prosecute for INEC at an agreed fee.

“NBA is seeing the service as a public service and an effort to sanitise the electoral system in Nigeria.”

According to Olurode, prosecution of election offenders should not be left with INEC alone as it is a major mandate which another body should be saddled with.

Olurode called on government to work on the report of Uwais Electoral Reform Panel which had recommended that a separate body should be set up to handle electoral offences.

NAN recalls that the 22-member panel was set up in 2007 to, among others, fashion out strategies towards free and fair elections in Nigeria.

Olurode called for increased police cooperation in INEC activities to facilitate prosecution of electoral offenders.