INEC advocates a body to prosecute electoral offenders

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(Nigeria) The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Wednesday called for the establishment of a body to prosecute electoral offenders.
Prof. Attahiru Jega, the INEC Chairman, made the call at a two-day National Stakeholders forum on Electoral Reforms in Abuja.
The forum was organised by INEC, Shehu Musa Yar' Adua Foundation and four other civil society organisations.
Represented by Hajia Amina Zakary, INEC Commissioner (Election and Party Monitoring), Jega said that the commission had recommended for the body in the proposed amendment of the electoral law.
He said INEC did not have the time, resources and capacities to shoulder electoral challenges, adding that the establishment of the body would ensure timely prosecution of electoral offenders.
``INEC proposes that a body known as the Electoral Offences Commission with powers to investigate and prosecute breaches of relevant electoral provisions be established,’’ he said.
He suggested that the secretary of the commission should hold office for a period of four years from the date of his appointment.
Jega also proposed that the period of office of the secretary should be renewable for another four years.
In his remarks, Sen. Osita Izunaso (APC-Imo) observed that INEC’s proposed amendment in the Electoral Act should have considered who should appoint the INEC chairman.
He also said that the proposed electoral amendment did not state what happened to INEC if it commits a mistake.
He suggested that INEC should be unbundled to the extent that it was limited to the conduct of elections alone.
He commended the commission for the proposed amendment to the act, which was submitted to the National Assembly.

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