54 Compromised INEC Officials Must Be Made To Face The Full Wrath Of The Law- CAIDOV
The Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV) has called on the Federal Government, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the security agencies to ensure that the 54 INEC officials reportedly found to have compromised the electoral process are made to face the full wrath of the law.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Lagos Signed by It’s Executive Director, Gbenga Soloki ,the Centre said the revelation is a damning indictment of the electoral system and a confirmation of what Nigerians have long suspected: that some officials entrusted with the sacred duty of conducting free, fair and credible elections have been sabotaging democracy for selfish and partisan interests.
The Centre said it is not enough to merely identify, query, or redeploy compromised officials. Those who betrayed the trust of the Nigerian people must be investigated, prosecuted, and punished in accordance with the law, to serve as a deterrent to others.
According to CAIDOV, compromised INEC officials are worse than ballot box snatchers, because they operate from within the system, manipulate results, disenfranchise voters, and destroy the will of the people while hiding under the cover of official duty.
The Centre stated that the 54 compromised officials must not be shielded. They must not be protected by political godfathers. They must not be quietly retired or transferred to other states. They must be made to face the full wrath of the law. Anything less will be a mockery of democracy and an insult to millions of Nigerians who stood in the sun and rain to vote.
CAIDOV further demanded immediate public disclosure of the names and offences of the 54 officials,Immediate suspension and thorough investigation by the Police and EFCC and Swift prosecution under the Electoral Act.
Furthermore, there should be a total cleansing of INEC and a review of its recruitment, training and posting systemProtection for whistleblowers who exposed the compromise.
The Centre warned that if compromised officials are allowed to go unpunished, Nigerians will lose faith in elections, voter apathy will increase, and democracy will continue to be undermined.
It also called on the National Assembly to strengthen the Electoral Act to provide stiffer penalties for electoral offenders, especially INEC officials who compromise elections.
CAIDOV reiterated its commitment to monitoring the electoral process, exposing electoral fraud, and advocating for good governance, transparency and accountability in Nigeria.
Nigeria deserves credible elections. Nigeria deserves an INEC that can be trusted. And for that to happen, electoral criminals in uniform and in offices must be punished.
