Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
SERAP has filed a contempt lawsuit against INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, for failing to act on court orders to investigate and prosecute electoral offenders from the 2023 general elections.
On July 18, 2024, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, directed INEC to investigate allegations of bribery, vote-buying, and electoral violence, specifically targeting state governors and deputies. The court warned that failure to comply would result in contempt charges against Professor Yakubu, potentially leading to imprisonment.
Truth Live News gathered that, In a notice to the INEC chairman, the court stated: “Take notice that unless you obey the Orders contained in the Judgment of the 18th July 2024… you will be guilty of contempt of Court and will be liable to be committed to prison.” Despite receiving a certified copy of the judgment, INEC has not taken action.
SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, criticized the commission’s inaction, saying, “It’s unacceptable to take the court, which is the guardian of justice in this country, for a ride. A democratic state based on the rule of law cannot exist or function if INEC and its chair routinely ignore and/or fail to abide by court orders.”
The court had previously highlighted the significance of addressing electoral misconduct. Justice Obiora Egwuatu noted, “The substance of SERAP’s grouse is the violence associated with elections in Nigeria which tends to prevent citizens from exercising their franchise during elections, thus preventing credible election and, in the long run, credible leaders.”
SERAP’s statement further emphasized the broader implications of INEC’s inaction: “The recurring cases of electoral bribery and violence make a mockery of Nigeria’s electoral process and participatory democracy. The latest allegations of electoral offences in Edo state show that INEC has learnt little or nothing from the well-documented problems during the 2023 general elections.”
The organization has called for INEC to address persistent electoral offenses ahead of the upcoming Ondo governorship election to ensure credible voting processes. The hearing date for the contempt suit is yet to be set.