INEC Demands Prosecution Of Electoral Offenders – TheNigerialawyer

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday
reiterated that proven misconduct during the 2019 general elections
must be dealt with according to the law.

The Commission also stated that it had since requested the
Police to avail it of the case files of offenders so that it can
initiate immediate prosecution.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, who stated this
during a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on
Security (ICCES), noted that the move was one of the surest ways to
address impunity and instil sanity in the electoral process.

“I am happy to note that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) made
several arrests of alleged electoral offenders during the general
election. We have since requested the Police to avail us of the
case files so that we can initiate their immediate prosecution.

“While we will continue to do our best working with the security
agencies in this regard, I wish to renew the call for the
establishment of the Electoral Offences Tribunal,” stated
Yakubu.

He further noted that that democracy and credible elections will
be deepened where electoral offenders are swiftly prosecuted.

Yakubu assured that INEC shall work with the National Assembly
to ensure the passage of a private members Bill sponsored in the
Senate by the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC,
Senator Abubakar Kyari, and in the House of Representatives by Hon.
Francis Charles Uduyok.

Responding, Abdulmajid Ali, DIG, Department of Operations,
assured that Police already commenced prosecution of some of the
electoral offenders.

“During the last elections 58 high profile arrests were made. 25
were during the presidential and national assembly elections, 17
during the gubernatorial election and 14 others.

“Out of this 58 arrest 39 conclusively investigated and
concluded and charged to courts while 19 are pending.

He commended other security agencies, particularly the military
for the cooperation given to the NP and INEC during the last
election.

“I want to also assure that the NP and other security agencies
are ever ready to put more efforts in ensuring that the forthcoming
governorship elections will be free and fair, and credible,” he
said.

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NBC N2.5bn Fraud: Kawu, Others ask Court to stop Lai’s
Appearance
The Chairman of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Lucky Omoluwa, has
asked a Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop the former Minister of
Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, from testifying in the
ongoing trial of an alleged misapplication of N2.5 billion Federal
Government Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme.

Mohammed had been scheduled to appear as witness by the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC), who is prosecuting the Director General of the National
Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, Omoluwa and Dipo
Onifade over an alleged abuse of office and money laundering.

He will be expected to tell the court his role leading to the
approval of N2.5 billion DSO seed grant to a private company,
Pinnacle Communications Limited, owned by Omoluwa with Onifade as
the Chief Operating Officer.

Counsel to Omoluwa and Onifade, Alex Iziyon (SAN), had
approached Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa, with a motion seeking
the court to stop ICPC from bringing Mohammed as a witness.
His prayers, which were supported by Kawu’s counsel, Adetayo
Adeyomo, also sought to stop the court from admitting a written
statement of the former Minister filed by ICPC as evidence.

Justice Ogunbanjo-Giwa adjourned the matter to Thursday, 4th
July, 2019 for continuation of trial as well as ruling on a pending
bail application for the release of the passports of Omoluwa and
Onifade.
ICPC had filed an amended 11-count charge against Kawu, Omoluwa and
Onifade, saying that the NBC Director General misled the former
Minister into approving government funds to a private company to
carry out the DSO project.

Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission