President Muhammadu Buhari says it is not enough for tribunals to cancel and order re-run of an election, but that those whose actions or inactions led to such cancellation should be investigated and prosecuted if found culpable.
The president said this must be done whether the culprits are individuals as candidates or party agents; institutions as political party or electoral body; public officers as electoral staff or security agents.
President Buhari also stated that perpetrators of electoral violence and thuggery should not be spared.
He was speaking at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday after swearing in the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and as INEC National Commissioners; Amina Zakari, Solomon Adedeji Soyebi, Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbine, Muhammed Mustafa Lecky and Baba Shettima Arfo.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal, among others.
President Buhari noted that it was long overdue that the country's justice system addressed the shortcomings in the justice administration of the electoral tribunals.
He said unless the system stops covering up all forms of electoral malpractices, the nation could hardly get it right, stressing that no system endures with impunity.
"Another area of concern is the justice administration of the electoral tribunals. It is long overdue that our justice system addresses these shortcomings. It is not just enough for an election to be cancelled and a new one ordered. It would be much better if all whose actions or inactions led to the cancellation of such election to be investigated and if culpable prosecuted whether they are individuals as candidates or party agents, Institutions such as political party, electoral body, or public officers as electoral staff or security agents.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday interrogated former Governor of Akwa Ibom State Godswill Akpabio over allegation of financial crimes. Daily Trust gathered that Akpabio honoured the invitation by the anti-graft agency to explain allegations of looting of the state’s funds during his tenure. Sources told our correspondent that Senator Akpabio was being interrogated late yesterday evening at the Abuja head offices of the Commission. He was spotted at the EFFC office in company of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa, at about 5:20pm. Akpabio’s arrest yesterday is fallout of the petition by an Abuja-based lawyer and activist, Leo Ekpenyong, who had on June 8 this year petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC, calling for Senator Akpabio’s probe and accusing him of looting. The petitioner had earlier on Wednesday adopted his petition and provided more details to the anti-graft agency on the allegations against the minority leader of People...
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