The majority of persons caught subverting the electoral process during the 2011 voter registration may go scot-free after all.
THE PUNCH gathered that over 869,
800 persons were involved in the manipulation of voter register used for
the conduct of the 2011 general elections. However, the Independent
National Electoral Commission has only prosecuted 200 suspects. The
figure represents less than one percent of all suspects.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega,
who spoke to our correspondent through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr.
Kayode Idowu, stated that the commission was overwhelmed by the number
of suspects to be prosecuted.
“It is true that with regard to the
prosecution of electoral offenders, INEC has disappointed many
Nigerians. I promised Nigerians that we would prosecute electoral
offenders. I meant it. The commission meant it and we have done our
best,” the INEC chairman had said in Calabar last week.
Although Idowu was silent on the reasons why INEC had been unable to prosecute the suspects, THE PUNCH gathered that it was because the commission lacked the human and material resources to do so.
Findings also indicated that the commission
was unable to take the offer of the Nigeria Bar Association to
prosecute on its behalf because of the likelihood of what a source
described as “conflict of interest”. A source said though the NBA was
seeking to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with INEC on the
matter, some of the lawyers involved were handling cases involving some
of the suspects.
Idowu said, “INEC’s preoccupation is not to
prosecute cases; its main preoccupation is to conduct elections. These
are just matters arising from conducting elections.
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