INEC has uncovered the foremost threat to free and honest elections in Nigeria.
PoliticalNews Nigeria experiences that the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) has identified electoral offences as the foremost threat to a free and honest election in Nigeria.
This Nigeria information platform understands that INEC expressed concern that electoral offences not solely undermine the integrity of the electoral course of but additionally exacerbate political pressure and might result in violence.
Head of the Authorized Division, INEC workplace, Edo State, Rita Amadi, made these remarks throughout a presentation at a one-day engagement with youth {groups} in Edo State, centered on the function of youths within the upcoming September 21, 2024 governorship election.
Represented by Oba Agbonifo, a authorized officer within the Benin workplace, Amadi’s presentation titled ‘Electoral Offences and Penalties,’ aimed to teach the voters, notably the youth, about electoral legal guidelines and the implications of violating them.
She identified that prosecuting electoral offences in Nigeria has confirmed to be a big problem, primarily because of the inefficiencies in prison investigations throughout the nation.
Amadi harassed that decreasing electoral offences would solely be doable via the arrest, prosecution, and punishment of offenders, which might assist curb the prevailing impunity.
“Electoral offences could also be dedicated by a person or group of individuals and such people shall be held liable and punished in accordance with the extant legal guidelines.
“Our legal guidelines are replete with an inexpensive quantity of those offences and penalties. Usually talking, the youths make up a higher share of our inhabitants, in addition to the age bracket that take part in our electoral course of at totally different ranges.
“Towards this backdrop it’s important that the youths get to intimately perceive the electoral offences,” she stated.
PoliticalNews Nigeria experiences that the INEC authorized officer additionally famous that the fee’s chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, had beforehand talked about that whereas INEC is empowered by the Electoral Act to prosecute electoral offences, it lacks the authority and assets to make arrests and conduct thorough investigations into these offences.
She urged all political stakeholders to help INEC in fulfilling its function as an election administration physique by educating their brokers, supporters, and companions to desert the “do or die” mentality that always plagues the electioneering course of.