News

2023 Polls: INEC Begins Review, Engages 427 Lawyers To Prosecute 215 Electoral Offenders

Published

2 years ago

July 4, 2023

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC said it has received 215 case files from the Nigerian Police in respect of electoral infractions during the 2023 general election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this on Tuesday at a meeting with states Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs to review the general election.

Accordingly, he said the commission was working with the Nigerian Bar Association NBA to prosecute the electoral offenders, adding that the NBA has provided 427 lawyers to help prosecute the cases free of charge.

“I can confirm that we have received 215 case files from the Nigeria Police following their arrest and the conclusion of an investigation into electoral offences arising from the 2023 General Election.

“We are working with the Nigerian Bar Association NBA to prosecute the alleged offenders. Already, the NBA has submitted a list of 427 lawyers across the country who have volunteered to render pro bono services to the Commission.

“They are not charging legal fees but by mutual agreement, the Commission will provide a token amount to cover filing fees/expenses.

“We are most grateful to NBA and its President, Yakubu Maikyau SAN, for this historic collaboration. Similarly, we are working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission ICPC on the prosecution of cases relating to vote buying and associated violations”, he stated.

Yakubu also added that the commission has received the police report in the suspended Adamawa REC, Yunusa Ari, saying INEC would soon take appropriate actions against him.

He also explained that in line with the mandate of the commission, it would never join issues with observer groups or political parties regarding the conduct of any election.

INEC had consistently declared that it would never join issues with anyone, especially partisans.

Addressing the RECs, Yakubu said the purpose of the meeting was to reflect on the just concluded 2023 General Election.

“Following the conclusion of the election, the time has come for introspection, stocktaking, review and evaluation”, he stated.

Yakubu noted that since the conclusion of the election, diverse opinions have been expressed by political parties, candidates, observers, analysts and the general public on aspects of the elections that took place in February and March.

“Such diverse opinions should normally be expected, and the Commission welcomes all of them insofar as their purpose is to improve the future conduct of elections and to consolidate our democracy.

“The Commission has consciously not joined in these commentaries in the immediate aftermath of the election for several reasons. First, our preference is to listen more and draw lessons rather than join in the heated and often emotive public discussion on the election.

“Second, since we plan to conduct our own review of the election, we see no need to pre-empt the process. Third, the Commission would not want to be seen as defensive or justificatory in joining the ongoing discussions.

“Finally, and perhaps most importantly, several issues around the election are sub-judice and it is not the intention of the Commission to either undermine or promote the chances of litigants in the various election petition courts beyond what is required of us by the legal process.

“Indeed, practically anything coming from the Commission could be cited by litigants as either justifying their claims or an indication of bias against them”, he stated.

He said in spite of the foregoing, it was appropriate to make a few broad remarks about the 2023 General Election as the commission commences its review of the election.

“In doing this, it is necessary to look at the entire process before, during and after the election to make an informed assessment.

“Granted that events on Election Day are probably the most important in terms of the optics of elections, it is also very essential to look at the totality of the process.

“This is necessary if we are to learn the full lessons of the election going forward.

“Compared to some previous elections, we believe that the 2023 General Election was one of the most meticulously prepared for in recent times.

“Learning from previous experiences, we started preparations immediately after the 2019 General Election, carefully ticking the necessary boxes over a four-year period.

“It is the need to learn from both the positives and the shortcomings that make the stocktaking that we are embarking on today essential.

“Among the positive stories is that the security challenges which threatened to derail the elections did not materialize.

“Concerns that the polls will be disrupted by the perennial insecurity across the country fizzled out on Election Day as the elections were largely peaceful.

“Despite currency and fuel challenges and widespread attacks on our personnel and facilities nationwide, the Commission proceeded with the election as scheduled.

“The first set of elections, the Presidential and National Assembly, held as planned for the first time in the last four General Elections conducted in the country.

“Accreditation of voters using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS has generally been scored very high by voters.

“Our records show that the success rate for BVAS accreditation stands at 98% compared to the Smart Card Reader’s 29.2% during the 2019 General Election.

“Above all, despite the divergent opinions about the outcome of the election, the overall outlook suggests that it is a fair reflection of a complex multi-party democracy.

“We wish to remind Nigerians that elections were held for a total of 1,491 constituencies made up of one Presidential, 28 Governorship, 109 Senatorial, 360 Federal Constituencies and 993 State Assembly seats.

“Our record shows that these elections have produced the most diverse outcomes ever recorded since 1999.

“Today, five political parties produced State Governors, seven parties won Senatorial seats, eight are represented in the House of Representatives and nine in State Houses of Assembly.

“Clearly, the 10th National Assembly is certainly the most diverse in party representation since 1999.

“In some States around the country, different political parties controlled the legislative and executive arms of Government. What is clear from these records also is that the days of single-party dominance of our national politics are probably gone.

“Furthermore, many prominent candidates lost in the constituencies they contested, and political parties lost in some of their presumed strongholds.

“Still, we must acknowledge that there were also some challenges, which were structural, infrastructural and human in nature. Indeed, it is in furtherance of our determination to address the challenges as we prepare for future elections that the Commission is commencing its post-election review engagements today.

“We are presently looking at all the evidence of infractions during the election, including the prosecution of offenders. We are looking at the activities of all actors involved in the election, including some of our high-ranking officials. I can confirm that the Nigeria Police concluded its investigation of the conduct of our Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State and submitted the case file to us. Appropriate action will be taken in a matter of days and Nigerians will be fully informed”, he added.

Slams erring RECs

Noting that in the next few weeks, several internal debriefing meetings will be held, culminating in engagements with stakeholders, Yakubu told the RECs to lead the discussions on all aspects of the election from preparations, conduct and aftermath.

He also berated a few of the RECs for not managing their briefs as expected, adding that administrative actions have already been taken against such officials.

“Let me at this point specifically reiterate to the Resident Electoral Commissioners that we are commencing these debriefings with you because you are central to the conduct of elections. Many of you performed very well during the general election under extremely challenging circumstances. I commend you for that. However, a few of you did not properly manage the tasks lawfully bestowed upon you for which the Commission has taken some administrative action. I urge you to remain loyal to your oath of office”, he stated.

Issues for review

According to Yakubu, some of the issues to be reviewed are the operational processes for Continuous Voter Registration CVR and general elections, including planning, organization, coordination and evaluation of activities, focusing particularly on such specific issues as the issuance of voters’ cards, logistics, delivery of materials, deployment of personnel, etc.

Others are the “legal framework for the conduct of elections with a view to addressing any key legal challenges that may have arisen prior to the 2023 General Election which was not envisaged before the election; Technologies deployed in the electoral process, including the INEC Voter Enrolment Device IVED; INEC Result Viewing Portal IReV; Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS; party nomination portal; observer, media and polling/collation agents’ accreditation portals etc., focusing particularly on their performance;

“Effectiveness of overall administrative procedures and channels within the Commission in the coordination and execution of pre-election, election and post-election activities;

“Political party registration, party primaries and nomination of candidates for the 2023 General Election, as well as monitoring of the processes;

“Process of recruitment, training, deployment and performance of all categories of ad-hoc staff during CVR and the General Election; and

Strengthening the Commission’s cooperation and relations with other bodies such as MDAs, NGOs etc. and any other issues in the electoral process that are likely to impact the work of the Commission in future.

“In line with our polic, at the end of the internal review and engagement with stakeholders, a comprehensive report will be published by the Commission.

“Furthermore, the Commission has so far received reports from 54 accredited national and international observers. We will give equal prominence to all the reports and review them in a holistic manner to ensure that necessary lessons are learnt from their conclusions and recommendations.

“Our work in INEC is enormous. As Resident Electoral Commissioners, you are no doubt aware, that there is no election season in Nigeria any longer. Numerous off-cycle and bye-elections are held throughout the period between one general election and another. Even as we commence our review of the conduct of the 2023 General Election and barely a few weeks after the inauguration of the National and State Houses of Assembly, we are already confronted with four bye-elections as a result of resignation in the case of Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State and death in respect of Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Chibok State Constituency of Borno State and Chikun State Constituency of Kaduna State.

“Furthermore, the Commission is preparing for three off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States, which are scheduled for 11th November 2023. We have already published the final list of candidates for the elections and the campaign in public officially commenced on 14th June 2023. The Commission will soon commence the regular stakeholder engagements ahead of the elections”, the INEC Chairman added.
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News

Oba Of Benin Suspends Palace Chiefs

Published

7 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has suspended two of his chiefs for falling for dereliction of duties.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), Frank Irabor and made available to journalists in Benin City.

He said their suspension was as a result of their long absence from the palace, resulting in their failure to carry out their palace responsibilities.

The suspended persons are: Chief John Igiehon, the Izuwako of Benin and chief Aimiukpomonyako Oghogho (Ebengho), the Oyenmwensoba of Benin.

“The under-mentioned two (2) chiefs have been suspended from the Palace of the Oba of Benin.

“This is as a result of their long absence from the Palace, resulting in their failure to carry out their Palace responsibilities.

“The public is advised to be wary of unscrupulous chiefs that are no longer functioning in the Palace. His Royal Majesty has approved their _ Suspension and directed the public be duly informed.

“The names of the chiefs are: – ; 1. CHIEF JOHN IGIEHON, THE IZUWAKO OF BENIN and, _ 2 CHIEF AIMIUKPOMONYAKO OGHOGHO (EBENGHO), THE OYENMWENSOBA OF BENIN”, the statement said.

News

Lawyers Fault EFCC Statement, Say It’s Misleading

Published

8 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Some legal practitioners in Bauchi state have faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) official statement about their client on Wednesday, adding that it was erroneous, false and misleading.

It could be recalled that EFCC posted on its official Facebook handle that a Bauchi State High Court has cleared the commission to proceed with its investigation of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi State, Hamza Koshe, and his company, Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd.

According to the EFCC statement, the commission said Justice Aliyu Baba, in a judgment delivered on July 30, 2025, dismissed an application by Koshe seeking to restrain the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission from probing him.

However, in a statement jointly signed and made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Thursday by Jibrin S. Jibrin Esq, M.M. Usman Esq, H.B. Pali Esq, Abbas Ibrahim Esq, I.G. Agwam Esq and Salome Audu Esq all counsel to Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd & Anor as well as Koshe insisted that the statement was misleading.

According to them, the EFCC owed the public the duty of relating only the truth of what the courts decided as regards the contract financing agreement in the issues their clients were parties.

“Our attention as the legal representatives of Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd & Alhaji Hamza Koshe in respect of suit No. BA/271/2024 has been drawn to the statement posted on the official page of the EFCC on Wednesday, where the Commission supposedly rendered an analysis of the judgement delivered by the High Court of Justice No. 4 Bauchi Presided by Justice Aliyu Usman on the 30th July 2025.

“Now against the background of the erroneous, false and misleading publication by the EFCC on the matter, we deem it necessary to set the records straight by stating what actually is the truth of the matter in terms of the enrolled judgment Order of the Court to which this press release is attached.

“It is proper to state as a fact that in an earlier judgement relating to the subject of this release, the verdict of the High Court of Justice No. 10 Bauchi presided by Justice M. M. Abubakar delivered on the 19th December, 2024 is to the effect that the Contract Financing Agreement the subject matter of the suit having been found to be valid and not contravening any law remains enforceable hence, Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd is accorded the applicable injunctive reliefs as regards the activities of the Commission.

“We state as a fact that the main question of law determined in Justice Aliyu Baba Usman’s judgment is to the effect that the Contract Financing Agreement the subject of the suit is valid.

“The EFCC failed to state in its statement in reference the fact that many parties and contractors concerned or involved in the Contract Financing Agreement in the issue have been invited by the Commission with virtually all of them responding, honoring its invitation on the matter and thereby discharging their legal obligation speak volumes of ‘the bidding of some’ which the publication seeks to achieve ab initio,” said the lawyers.

The counsel added that the mischief and deliberate misrepresentation in EFCC’s statement could be seen when not only did it make no mention of this fact but also created the impression that their clients went to Court to evade investigation on the matter.

They said that Koshe was a guest of the Commission having honored its invitation in September 2024 which he was released on administrative bail, the terms and conditions applicable to which he has been observing.

“It is also important to clarify as a fact that there is no truth at all in the Commission’s statement to the effect that our client sought a perpetual injunction of general nature against the Commission’s activities.

“The truth about the reliefs sought by our clients is as contained in the Court’s processes filed in the suit in reference.

“We challenge the Commission to provide evidence of where our client ever sought a perpetual injunction at large or of general nature against it or any other body duly established by law.

“We urge members of the public to disregard in its entirety EFCC’s statement on the subject and be guided in its stead by the facts as contained in the relevant court processes to which this release is attached,” he said.

News

Tricycle Riders Sentenced To Five Years Over WhatsApp Group Mobilising Protest Against Nigerian Gov

Published

8 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has been accused of being power-drunk following allegations that he ordered the arrest and conviction of two members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and tricycle operators for creating a WhatsApp group to mobilize a protest against his administration.

Crack police operatives carried out the arrests in Maiduguri before the scheduled End Bad Governance protest.

The two men, identified as Mohammed Bukar (alias Awana) and Ibrahim Mohammed (alias Babayo), were convicted on June 30, 2025, by Hon. Justice A.M. Ali and handed a five-year prison sentence.

Court documents with reference number BOHC/MG/CR/2150/CT10/2024 revealed that the men were accused of creating a WhatsApp group called “Zanga Zanga Group”—translated as Protest Group—to mobilize Keke Napep (tricycle) operators for a planned demonstration against the Borno State Government.

Mohammed Bukar and Ibrahim Mohammed were the 6th and 7th defendants in the case in which Governor Zulum accused them of using videos on the WhatsApp group to instigate Keke Napep (tricycle) operators in Borno State to join the protest against the government.

They were also accused of producing videos in Kanuri and Hausa languages, urging tricycle riders to come out en masse, declaring “no going back” on the planned protest against the Borno State Government.

On June 30, 2025, Hon. Justice A.M. Ali sentenced the duo to five years’ imprisonment for allegedly planning the protest on WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, the seven defendants were charged with two counts: Count 1. That the defendants conspired to form a group named Zanga Zanga group (or protest group) on WhatsApp social media platform wherein they agreed to take up arms, to wit; guns, knives, bows and arrows and all forms of dangerous weapon against the Government thereby committing an offence contrary to Sections 60 and punishable under Section 79 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State 2023.

Count 2. That the defendants formed a group named Zanga Zanga group (or. protest group) on WhatsApp social media platform and agreed to take up arms, to wit; guns, knives, bows and arrows and all forms of dangerous weapon against the Government thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 79 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State 2023 All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them at their arraignment on April 11, 2024. The prosecution called four witnesses to prove their case.

However, all defendants pleaded not guilty when arraigned on April 11, 2024.

The prosecution called four witnesses, including Sgt. Isa Abubakar, an investigating police officer attached to the Crime Squad of the Nigerian Police, Borno State Command.

Sgt. Abubakar testified that on July 21, 2024, the 6th defendant used one of the videos as his WhatsApp status to mobilize tricycle riders for the End Bad Governance protest.

He added that the 6th and 7th defendants also made another video in Hausa, saying, “Allah Yaisa Zulum two Billion Namu,” roughly translating to “May God punish Zulum for our two billion.”

He further testified that he downloaded the videos and arrested the two suspects on July 23, 2024, before handing them over to the Crime Squad office in Maiduguri.

Justice Ali said, “I have considered the pleas for leniency made by each of the convicts and the pleas made on their behalf by their counsel. The 5th convict is 17 years old, the 2nd convict is 14 years old, and the 3rd convict is 15 years old.

“The 5th, 2nd, and 3rd convicts are therefore young persons within the meaning of the Children and Young Persons Law of Borno State.

“It was held by the Apex court in the case of Aminu Tanko VS the State 2009 Legalpedia SC 61216 that where the sentence prescribed upon conviction in criminal charge is term of imprisonment then some extenuating factors, such as the age of the convict and whether he is a first offender can be taken into consideration in passing the sentence.

“It is in this regard that, on the 1st count charge, I sentence the 5th, 2nd, and 3rd defendants to community service specifically washing the toilets of General Hospital Maiduguri, for 3 months. Make an order that they be given 20 strokes of the cane each.

“On the 2nd count charge, the 5th, 2nd, and 3rd convicts are sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment. The 2nd and 3rd convicts are to be held at the children’s remand home, while the 5th defendant is to be remanded at the Maiduguri correctional centre. The period of imprisonment should commence today.”

“Regarding the first convict, who is also a young man, he is hereby sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. The first convict is sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. The 6th convict is sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. The 7th convict is sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. All sentences should commence today, the 30/6/2025,” Justice Ali added.

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that the families of two commercial tricycle operators had accused the state government, led by Governor Babagana Zulum, of ordering their arrest and prolonged detention after they allegedly planned a peaceful protest over the alleged mismanagement of funds contributed by riders.

The detained operators, identified as Muhammed Bukar and Ibrahim Muhammed—both members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—were arrested by the Police Crack Squad on the alleged orders of Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Saina Buba.

According to relatives, the riders were detained for three months and two weeks at a police facility before spending an additional two months in prison custody while facing trial.

At the centre of the dispute is a daily N100 ticket fee collected from tricycle operators, supposedly serving as insurance to provide financial support to any operator facing emergencies.

However, the riders alleged that officials managing the fund embezzled the money and failed to assist operators in need, prompting plans for the protest before their arrest.