The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is once again advocating for the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal to address the growing backlog of cases related to election violations.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, emphasized the urgency of this initiative during the commission’s first regular quarterly consultative meeting with the media in Abuja on Friday.

“A major obstacle to the speedy dispensation of justice in this regard is that electoral offences are not time-bound, unlike post-election cases handled by tribunals. Furthermore, they are prosecuted solely by Magistrate and State High Courts in the jurisdiction where the offences occurred,” Yakubu stated.

He highlighted that electoral offences often receive low priority as courts juggle various cases, leading to prolonged trials that sometimes extend beyond one election cycle. “It is therefore imperative to renew our call for the creation of an Electoral Offences Tribunal with specific jurisdiction and a limited timeframe for swift case resolution,” he added.

Yakubu also cited the recent conviction of a returning officer in Akwa Ibom, which took nearly six years to conclude, as a clear example of delays in the justice system.

“The Commission has been diligently pursuing this case, which arose from the 2019 General Election. It took almost six years to secure a conviction at the trial court,” he noted.

Through a partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), INEC is currently prosecuting 774 alleged offenders from the 2023 General Election. So far, successful convictions have been recorded in Kebbi and Kogi States, while collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has led to convictions for vote-buying in Lagos, Kwara, and Gombe States. However, many cases remain unresolved.

Yakubu reiterated INEC’s commitment to electoral integrity and urged stakeholders to support the establishment of a dedicated tribunal to ensure timely justice.