The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says it will establish a prosecution unit, with staff trained in the dynamics of electoral offence cases in order to combat electoral malpractices in Nigeria.
INEC said this is one of the many innovations brought into the commission’s work as it implements a new five-year strategic action plan from 2017 to 2021.
The new line of focus guiding Nigeria’s electoral umpire through the next election, was unveiled during the launch of the five-year strategic plan of action in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, INEC’s Chairman, Mr Mahmoud Yakubu, stated the importance of the innovation, noting that good process leads to good results.
“This approach builds confidence between INEC and election stakeholders by creating a stable system of expectations. Through forward planning, everybody knows what to expect, making it easy to track the attainment of goals and objectives,” he said.
The commission also highlighted the fact that grassroot voter education is critical in countering ‘money for votes’ politics, hence the need for maximum voter education ahead of the coming elections.
