SERAP Sues INEC Over Failure To Probe Govs For 2023 Election Violence

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the failure to investigate allegations of electoral violence.

The group is also suing INEC over its blatant refusal to probe other electoral offences allegedly committed by some state governors and their deputies during the 2023 elections.

Recall that after the completion of the general elections, there were pockets of violence in some states across the country.

Deputy Director at SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, in a statement on Sunday, April 30, said the group has filed a suit against INEC.

Kolawole Oluwadare, Andrew Nwankwo and Blessing Ogwuche, lawyers to SERAP explained that electoral violence is a threat to democracy therefore perpetrators must not go unpunished.

In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/583/2023 filed on Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP queried INEC’s refusal to probe perpetrators of election violence.

SERAP argued that punishing perpetrators of electoral violence would sanitize Nigeria’s election process.

“Section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act allows INEC to seek the appointment of an independent counsel to probe allegations of electoral violence and other electoral offences that may have been committed by any state governors and/or their deputies”, the statement partly reads.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.

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