The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified why individuals arrested for alleged vote-buying during the recent Anambra governorship election have yet to be charged to court.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum on elections organized by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja on Thursday, INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, explained that while the commission is empowered by law to prosecute electoral offenders, it has not received the investigation reports from the security agencies responsible for the arrests. He noted that the electoral body is actively collaborating with relevant authorities to obtain the necessary reports.
“I am happy to know that you are aware that some people were arrested, and people are saying, what have you done? We are reaching out to the police, the EFCC, and all other relevant agencies. We will need reports on the investigations conducted in respect of those arrested,” Amupitan said.
He emphasized that INEC’s statutory role is to prosecute, not to arrest, adding that the commission is liaising with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those apprehended will face trial.
The INEC chairman also highlighted the importance of combining technological integrity with political accountability to safeguard democracy. However, he lamented that poor telecommunication networks remain a major challenge in achieving real-time uploads of election results from the country’s 176,000 polling units, many of which are located in remote areas.