NEWS
Off-cycle Elections: SERAP Drags INEC To Court Over Offenders In Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo States
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “over the failure to arrest and prosecute suspected perpetrators of grave electoral offences in the recently concluded off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States.”
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1694/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to probe the allegations of electoral offences including electoral violence, in the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.”
SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to compel INEC to promptly and effectively prosecute suspected perpetrators of these grave electoral offences, and bring to justice anyone who sponsored, aided and abetted them.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to compel INEC to disclose spending details on the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States, including the specific amount spent to conduct voter and civic education and details of the activities carried out in the three states.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring accountability for the grave electoral offences in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States. Granting the reliefs sought would compel INEC to live up to its constitutional and statutory responsibilities and end the impunity of electoral offenders.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “The recurring cases of electoral bribery and violence make a mockery of Nigeria’s electoral process and participatory democracy. The electoral offences in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states show that INEC has learnt little or nothing from the well-documented problems during the 2023 general elections.”
According to SERAP, “Unless INEC is compelled to arrest and prosecute suspected electoral offenders and their sponsors in the elections Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States, perpetrators would continue to enjoy impunity for their crimes.”
SERAP is arguing that, “Many years of allegations of electoral offences and the impunity of perpetrators and their sponsors have continued to undermine public trust and confidence in the electoral process and citizens’ right to participation.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Electoral integrity is critical to a legitimate democracy. When the integrity of that process is compromised, the legitimacy of the government and the public confidence in public institutions is seriously undermined.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “INEC has constitutional and statutory duties to ensure accountability for electoral offences in the country, and to guarantee the effective enjoyment of the citizens’ right to vote in future elections.
“The right to vote is fundamental and is the essence of a democratic society, and any restrictions on that right strike at the heart of representative government. Nigerians should have the final say in the election of governmental officials.
“Persistent cases of electoral offences in the country’s elections gravely violate Nigerians’ right to vote, which is central to the effective participation of every citizen.
“Unless INEC is compelled to arrest and prosecute suspected electoral offenders and their sponsors, impunity for these crimes against the Nigerian people will continue. And citizens will continue to lose confidence in the electoral process.
“Nigerians have the right to know how INEC is spending public funds in the discharge of its constitutional and statutory responsibilities. It is in the public interest to compel INEC to publish spending details on the elections in the three states.
“Electoral bribery and violence and other electoral offences undermine the ability of INEC to discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the Nigerian Constitution and paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the Constitution, and the Electoral Act.
“Allegations of electoral offences during the off-cycle governorship elections in the three states are contrary to the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and international standards.
“The Nigerian Constitution provides in Section 14(1)(c) that, ‘the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’
“Sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act prohibit electoral bribery and undue influence before, during and after any election. Section 145(2) provides that, ‘a prosecution under this Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of the Commission or any legal practitioner appointed by it.’
“Under section 2(a) and (b), the commission ‘shall have power to conduct voter and civic education and to promote knowledge of sound democratic election processes.’
“The crisis confronting the country’s elections and lack of public trust and confidence in the electoral process can be addressed if impunity for electoral offences is combated through the arrest and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.
“According to our information, the governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States witnessed cases of electoral offences including electoral violence, vote-buying, conspiracy, and undue influence.
“There are reports of specific cases of pre-completed result sheets including in five local government areas of Kogi State – Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene.
“Suspected political thugs reportedly harassed journalists covering the governorship election in Omuma Community in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State. INEC official in the Oguta Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State also alleged that some men invaded her polling unit and carted away result sheets.
“According to the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), there were several reports of electoral violence and vote buying across the three states. For example, there were reports of incidents in PU 1, Ward 8 and PU 11, Ward 1 in Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa West.
“In Bayelsa Central, vote trading was reported in PU 16, Ward 6 in Yenegoa LGA, PU 22, PU 30 and 31, Ward 13 in Southern Ijaw LGA with reports of voter inducements ranging from N5,000 – N22,000, and items such as wrappers and rice were also reportedly shared to buy votes.
“In Kogi, there were reports of vote buying in PUs 004, 038 and 039 in Ward A of Lokoja LGA, where party agents were allegedly sharing out money to voters upon confirmation that they voted for their party candidates.
“In Imo, the two major parties’ agents reportedly engaged in vote buying, sharing between N2000 to N3000. INEC officials were reportedly bribed. Electoral violence was reported in Dekini LGA, town where a thug was reportedly shot and killed by military officials while fleeing in an attempt to snatch a ballot box.
“INEC presiding officer was also reportedly abducted in Bayelsa while on his way to the Registration Area Centre – 06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama Local Government Area.
“There are reports of thugs attacking several polling units in the three states.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
The Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended Mrs. Justice Nyesom-Wike Suzzette, wife of the Federal Capital Territory’s Minister, Nyesom Wike, for a position on the Court of Appeal.
Suzzette, a former First Lady of Rivers State and currently a judge at the Rivers State High Court, is among 21 candidates proposed for elevation to the appellate court.
Additionally, Ariwoola Oluwemi Victoria, theP daughter-in-law of Niygeria’s Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has been recommended for a promotion to the Federal High Court in Abuja.
She is one of 12 judges selected for advancement to this court.
Justice Ariwoola is expected to bow out of Nigeria’s judiciary in August this year.The NJC, at the same meeting, barred two judges, Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court and Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court, from elevation to the Appeal Court for two to three years and issued them warning letters.
Justice Ekwo was reprimanded for the abuse of discretionary power by wrongly granting an ex-parte order in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 others Vs Seplat Energy Plc & 12 others.
He was barred from elevation for two years.
Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi received a warning letter for failing to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, suit No A/94/2010, after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.
He will not be elevated to a higher bench for three years.
A tank farm in the Apapa area of Lagos State went up in flames in the early hours of Friday.
A viral video of the sad incident, now making the rounds on social media platforms indicates that it is the property of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
The video was being traced to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS).
However, the NNPC Ltd has denied that none of its facilities in the location was affected, it posited that the fire incident, from a pipeline, affected a farm tank belonging to Honeywell Oil and Gas.
Director, Public Affairs, LSFRS, Amodu Shakiru, has confirmed the incident, and that firefighting operations were ongoing as at the time of going to press.
Shakira said, “Yes, we just received a call from that area and the call came in at 11:27am.
“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is attending to a fire outbreak at the new NNPC Terminal, formerly OVH, Kayode Street, Marine Beach, Apapa.
“The fire resulted from a spillage of petroleum products within the perimeter of the tank farm”.
In the same vein, Director and Chief Executive Officer, LSFRS, Margaret Adeseye, said concerted efforts with various emergency responders within the oil and gas industry were being made to contain the situation.
“The public is hereby assured that the emergency operations are under control from escalating further,” Adeseye stated.
However, the Punch cited Spokesperson, NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, as saying that the fire was not from the company’s depot but from HOGL.
“It is not at the NNPC, but at HOGL. The fire is at a pipeline at HOGL. The fire has since been extinguished. It’s at the Honeywell depot but it has now been extinguished. Not NNPC,” Soneye said.
The Chancellor of Osun State University and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, Folorunso Alakija has described Governor Ademola Adeleke as “an action Governor who is delivering good governance to the good people of Osun state”.
She bared her mind, while hosting Gov Adeleke at the Ikoyi headquarters of Famfa Oil Limited.
According to her, she she has been following activities of Gov Adeleke since he assumed office, and commended him for setting a good leadership example.
The billionaire businesswoman on the occasion flanked by two of her directors, Ladi and Folarin Alakija, noted that the Osun State Governor has been demonstrating strong passion for public service and pursuing a big agenda for the state.
She prayed to God Almighty to strengthen the Governor for a second term in office, as in her opinion, four years were not enough for an action governor like Gov Adeleke to deliver fully on his ambitious agenda for the state.
Reviewing her tenure as the Chancellor of the Osun State University, the Famfa boss recalled the conception and stages of completion of the UNIOSUN Medical Research and Training Hospital which she wholly donated and financed.
She pointed out that the project which is 95 percent completed was designed to serve the health needs of patients from far and near and elevate service to humanity to a higher level.
Earlier, Governor Adeleke, accompanied by the Vice Chancellor of the Osun State University, Prof Odunayo Clement Adebooye and other state officials, said he was ‘on a thank you visit to the business mogul to appreciate her huge contributions to the growth and development of the state university’.
Gov Adeleke expressed appreciation for the massive multi-billion naira Medical Research and Training hospital that Apostle Dr Alakija was building at the State university, describing Famfa boss as “a commendable role model in the field of philanthropy.
“We are here as a government to appreciate you. You are uncommon and rare in your love for service to humanity.”
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