By JOHN Onah, Abuja
The chairman of Independent National electoral commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said democracy and credible election would be deepened where electoral offenders are swiftly prosecuted.
Yakubu disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at a meeting of the Inter-Agency consultative Committee on Election security (ICCES).
According to him, the recent general elections in South Africa held in May 2019, some electoral offenders were arrested and swiftly charged to court even before the election was concluded.
“From our assessment, insecurity as a result of violent disruption of process was the major reason why a number of elections had to be declared inconclusive”.
“There is therefore an organic link between security and the conduct of peaceful elections”, he added.
He stated that the commission has requested the police to avail it of the case files so that the commission can initiate their immediate prosecution.
“While we will continue to do our best working with the security agencies in this regard, I wish to renew the call for the establishment of the Electoral offences tribunal”.
“We shall work with the National assembly to ensure the passage of Private Members Bill sponsored by the former chairman of the Senate committee on INEC, senator Abubakar Yyari in the House of Reprsenataives by Hon Francis Uduyok”.
