The European Centre for Electoral Support(ECES) yesterday said offenders in the 2019 general elections in Nigeria must be punished according to the law to make the electoral process more credible.
It called for more appropriate institutional mechanisms for the prosecution of election offences in the country.
The call was made at a training programme for the Independent National Electoral Commission’s legal officials and Police officers in Sokoto.
Speaking on behalf of European Centre for Electoral Support(ECES)-Nigeria, Senior Electoral Expert- Legal Maria Teresa Mauro, said offences undermine the smooth conduct of elections and has impacts on the integrity of the electoral process.
National Commissioner and Chairperson Legal Services, Clearance and Complaints Committee Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, stressed the need to set up Electoral Offences Commission, saying “Prosecution of offences is fraught with many difficulties.”
