Senate warns INEC over election time table

The Nigerian Senate has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be wary of opinions of some Nigerians on the amendment of the Electoral Act 2010 because the National Assembly will not tolerate any violation of the constitution.

Following the amendment of the Electoral Act by the Senate, the election timetable earlier released by INEC, where presidential election was meant to come first was altered in a manner to make it now come last.

But the INEC chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, recently said that the commission is working with the initial timetable and would consider any other option should President Muhammadu Buhari gave his accent to the amended time table.

However, while declaring open a public hearing on the bill seeking to establish the National Electoral Offences Commission on Monday, Senate President Bukola Saraki, said that the National Assembly had powers to legislate over the electoral body and other agencies of government.

Saraki was represented by the Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, at the hearing conducted by the Senate’s Joint Committee on INEC; and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

“Of recent, there have been arguments on who has power to do what,” Saraki said. He added that Nigeria had a lot of people who knew how to go to court to get all kinds of judgments but that “INEC should be cautious of who it is listening to.

“We would not sit anywhere this constitution will be violated. It is necessary we caution ourselves. We need this country, we love this country.”

Saraki further frowned at the development where some political aspirants and parties are already campaigning when INEC had not yet declared electioneering campaigns open.

“The Senate in particular would be very worried, if INEC begins to condone the actions of some political parties. You have not declared campaigns open, and some are already campaigning,” he said.

He then called the electoral commission to exercise its powers and sanction such persons or parties.

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In his presentation to the committee, Yakubu said that INEC currently had about 1,080 cases in courts relating to the 2015 general elections, adding that the commission had received 124 case files of electoral offenders from the police, out of which 60 had been prosecuted.

He said that he was in support for the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission because INEC would find it difficult to efficiently prosecute electoral offenders and focus on its enormous responsibilities simultaneously.

 

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