Reps receive report on national electoral offence commission, tribunal bill

The House of Representatives on the proposed establishment of the national electoral offences commission and the electoral offences was laid during Thursday plenary.

The report was laid by the chairman, House Committee on electoral matters, Hon. Aisha Dukku.

In line with legislative practice, the recommendations of the committee are expected to be considered by the committee on the next legislative day.

Recall that the house resolved to consolidate the three reports titled: ‘Bill for an Act to establish National Electoral Offences Commission and the Electoral Offences Tribunal to provide for the legal framework for investigation and prosecution of Electoral Offences for the general improvement of the electoral process in Nigeria; and for related matters were jointly sponsored by Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Aishatu Dukku; Hon. Francis Charles Uduyok, Hon. Kingsley Chinda and Hon. John Dyegh.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• Four PDP NWC Members Return Over N100m ‘Bribe Money’ Paid Into Their Accounts

• Banks’ USSD Debt Hits N80bn ― Telecom Operators

• Why Politicians Resist Restructuring ― Chris Okotie

• Fury sets Joshua another new deadline

• Denmark make Qatar World Cup kit protest

• EDITORIAL: NDLEA’s Ikorodu Cocaine Haul
• Reps receive report on national electoral offence commission, tribunal bill
• Reps receive report on national electoral offence commission, tribunal bill

Some of the critical stakeholders who spoke during the public hearing on the bill, including the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu threw their weight behind the proposed establishment of the national electoral offences commission, among others, investigating all offences created in any law relating to elections in Nigeria and prosecute electoral offenders.

In his presentation, the INEC helmsman who argued that the commission’s effort is hampered by obvious constraints averred that the reform of the electoral process cannot be completed without effective sanctions on violators of the laws.

He said: “For instance, since the 2015 general election, 125 cases of electoral offences were filed in various courts out of which 60 convictions have been secured so far, including the most recent one in Akwa Ibom State.

“The commission would like to see more successful prosecution of offenders, not just ballot box snatchers, falsifiers of election results and vote buyers at polling units but more importantly, their sponsors.

“We look forward to the day when highly placed sponsors of thuggery, including high-profile figures that seek to benefit from these violations, are arrested and prosecuted. We believe the work of the proposed commission will help in this regard.”

On his part, chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPA), Mr Yabagi Sani who applauded the initiative noted that the proposed electoral offences commission will help in ensuring credible, free, fair and more inclusive elections in the country.

In his submission, he canvassed for the inclusion of civil society groups in the membership of the national electoral offence commission.

“We are thinking that if at least one or two of them are included in the membership of the commission, perhaps it will bring the interest of the public to be protected,” Mr Sani stated.