The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has called for the creation of an electoral offenses tribunal that has specific jurisdiction for the prosecution of electoral offenders for the speedy dispensation of electoral cases in Nigeria.
The Chairman made the call during the Commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with media executives and INEC Press Corps at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja the nation’s capital.
Yakubu lamented that it took nearly six years for the Commission to achieve a successful prosecution of offenders at the trial court
He said that through INEC’s collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), cases involving 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 general election are being prosecuted
He appealed for the continuous support of the Media, especially in critical areas of reform of which one is the prosecution of electoral offenders.
He said that the judicial and legislative action in the last few days underscored INEC’s effort to deal with offenses involving officials of the commission, and the challenges in dealing with electoral offences.
“No priority attention is given to such cases as the courts deal with a variety of other issues. Consequently, electoral offenses are carried over from one general election to another which may sometimes affect the diligent prosecution of the cases. It is therefore imperative to renew our call for the creation of the electoral offenses tribunal that has a specific jurisdiction and limited time frame for the speedy dispensation of cases.
“However, it also highlights the challenges we face in dealing with electoral offenses. The recent successful prosecution of a returning officer in Akwa Ibom State Niger Delta region is a case in point. The commission has been diligently pursuing the case which arose from the 2019 general election.
“Successful prosecutions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi states while our collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on vote buying has yielded similar results in Lagos, Kwara and Gombe states.
“Yet, many cases are still pending. A major obstacle to the speedy dispensation of justice in this regard is that electoral offenses are not time-bound as is the case with post-election offenses through the tribunals.
“Furthermore, they are solely prosecuted by the magistrate and state high courts in the jurisdiction where the alleged offenses are committed” he said.
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While giving an update on INEC’s readiness to conduct a free and fair off-cycle election in Anambra State Southeast Nigeria, and the Local Councils’ election in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Professor Yakubu revealed that, on Saturday 8th November 2025, Anambra governorship election will hold.
He urged the political parties interested in fielding candidates for the election to commence their primaries on the 20th day of March 2025 and end three weeks later on 10th April 2025.
”Similarly, the commission has released the timetable and schedule of activities for the area council election in the federal capital territory which is going to be held on Saturday the 21st of February 2026.
“Every election or electoral activity presents its own unique challenge and opportunity to learn lessons for improvement.
“The recent Ondo state governorship election has been widely acknowledged to be an improvement especially in the management of logistics and the performance of technology. We will strive harder to ensure the continuous improvement of our elections.”
On the FCT election he said most of the major activities for the election will be held this year including party primaries and the nomination of candidates for the 68 constituencies made up of six area council chairmen and 62 Councilors and nomination of candidates from the 9th to the 30th of June 2025.
Restoring confidence
In his remarks the National Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Mr Chude Achike, recommended that the Commission should engage the Media in their activities and ensure the full participation of the media in educating the citizens on electoral matters
Achike further urged INEC to address all the irregularities the electorates encountered during the previous election so as to restore confidence to the Commission.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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