Connect with us

Politics

Bill on establishment of electoral offences commission scales second reading in House of Reps

Published

on

A bill on the establishment of the National Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal scaled the second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The bill which is seeking to take the burden of prosecuting electoral offenders off the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was sponsored by the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Aishatu Duku.

The document is expected to provide the legal framework for investigation and prosecution of electoral offences for the general improvement of the country’s electoral process.

READ ALSO: IGP approves establishment of electoral offences desk ahead of 2023 polls

Duku, who led the debate on the bill at the plenary in Abuja, said it was unrealistic for INEC to conduct free and fair elections and simultaneously prosecute offences arising from the same elections.

Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee had in 2017 recommended the establishment of a special prosecution body to be known as the electoral offences commission to work independently in the arraignment and prosecution of electoral offenders in Nigeria.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now