Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo Guber Polls: Group Wants INEC To Identify, Arrest Sponsors Of Electoral Offences

A Lagos-based rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to establish a joint, credible, transparent, effective, and broad-based investigation into allegations of electoral bribery and violence in the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

In a statement issued by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group, which specifically called on the INEC Chairman to identify, arrest, name and shame suspected perpetrators and their sponsors of the grave human rights crimes, and ensure their effective prosecution, regardless of their political status or affiliations, equally challenged the INEC’s helmsman to “disclose the spending details on the governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states, including the specific amount spent to conduct voter and civic education and activities carried out in these states.”

Referring to its letter dated November 11, 2023, SERAP posited that, “If INEC is to live up to its constitutional and statutory responsibilities, it must take bold and effective measures to combat the culture of impunity for electoral bribery and violence in the country.

“The recurring cases of electoral bribery and violence make a mockery of Nigeria’s electoral process and participatory democracy.”

In noting that INEC must acknowledge its limitations and now embrace a transparent, credible, inclusive and broad-based investigation into the allegations of grave electoral offences in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states, the human rights group maintained that, “Electoral integrity is critical to a legitimate democracy. When the integrity of that process is compromised, the legitimacy of our government and the public confidence in our public institutions is seriously undermined.

“Reports of grave electoral offences in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states have shown that INEC and politicians have learnt little or nothing from the well-documented problems during the 2023 general elections.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel INEC to comply with our request in the public interest.”

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