The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has announced the initiation of a legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its failure to apprehend and prosecute suspected electoral offenders in the governorship elections held in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa states.
In a press release disclosed to the Nigerian Pilot on Sunday, SERAP detailed the filing of a lawsuit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/1694/2023, at the Federal High Court in Abuja last Friday.
The lawsuit by SERAP seeks “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to investigate allegations of electoral offenses, including electoral violence, in the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa states.”
Additionally, SERAP is pushing for “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 on conducting voter and civic education and details of the activities carried out in the three states.”
SERAP argued that there exists a valid public interest in ensuring accountability for the serious electoral offenses in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa states. Granting these reliefs, according to SERAP, would enforce INEC to fulfill its constitutional and statutory duties, thereby putting an end to the impunity of electoral offenders.
Highlighting the significance of their legal action, SERAP emphasized the mockery made of Nigeria’s electoral process and participatory democracy due to the recurrent cases of electoral bribery and violence.
SERAP stressed that unless INEC is compelled to take decisive action in arresting and prosecuting suspected electoral offenders and their sponsors in the elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa states, these perpetrators will persist in enjoying impunity for their crimes.
