Electoral Offences: 125 Cases In Court, 60 Convictions Made In Six Years – INEC

A file photo of a bag containing electoral materials to be deployed for an election.

Since the 2015 general elections in the country, 125 cases of electoral offences were filed in various courts out of which 60 convictions have been secured so far, including the most recent one in Akwa Ibom State.

This is according to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who stated this on Wednesday during a one-day public hearing on the National Electoral Offences Commission (Establishment) Bill 2021, organized by the Senate Committee on INEC.

“Of the numerous responsibilities carried out by the Commission, the prosecution of electoral offenders has been one of the most challenging,” he said.

“For instance, since the 2015 General Election, 125 cases of electoral offences were filed in various courts out of which 60 convictions have been secured so far, including the most recent one in Akwa Ibom State.”

He also expressed disappointment over the delay in the passage of the Electoral Act amendment bill, saying barely a year and nine months to the 2023 general election, the National Assembly is yet to pass the bill.

According to the INEC boss, the prosecution of electoral offenders has been one of the most challenging tasks for the commission since its establishment.

Yakubu added, “The commission would like to see more successful prosecution of offenders, not just of ballot box snatchers and falsifiers of election results but most importantly their sponsors.

“We look forward to the day when highly placed sponsors of thuggery, including party chieftains and candidates that seek to benefit from violations of the law, are apprehended. We believe that the work of the proposed Commission will help in this regard,” Yakubu said.