Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has vowed that the commission will expedite prosecution of cases of electoral offenders during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.
Yakubu stated this while speaking at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Abuja on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
Yakubu said INEC was looking forward to receiving case files of electoral offenders in the just concluded polls as promised by the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, and that a legal team will be set up to commence prosecution forthwith.
While speaking about the commission’s preparations for the upcoming Governorship and State Assembly elections on Saturday, March 18, 2023, he urged all political parties to caution their supporters, stressing that the exercise is a contest and not a war.
He also noted that the coming elections will be more demanding than the presidential and National Assembly polls and urged the security agencies to be on top of their game.
Yakubu words: “The Governorship and State Assembly elections this weekend involve more constituencies than the national elections held about three weeks ago. Unlike the last elections involving 470 constituencies (one presidential, 109 senatorial districts and 360 House of Representatives seats), the state elections will involve 1,021 constituencies (28 governorship and 993 state Assembly seats). There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect. There are also local elections involving keen contests.
“It is, therefore, important for parties and candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see the elections as a contest and not war. They should refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of our personnel, observers, the media and service providers.
“The commission is encouraged by the directive to state commands by the Inspector-General of Police to handle all cases of electoral offences expeditiously. We look forward to receiving the case files. We will immediately set up a legal team to handle such cases in earnest”, he concluded.
