Abuja- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on Monday, said it would use everything within the law to prosecute electoral offenders in the February elections.
The Chairman of the Commission, Mr Bem Angwe, made the assertion in Abuja at the launch of the NHRC project for the February election tagged: “Franchise 2015.’’
He said “we will do all that is allowed by the law to ensure that those involved in election malpractices are not only identified but also prosecuted.
“We are determined to ensure that the rights of Nigerians in this election are protected.”
Angwe said that the NHRC was committed to ensuring that Nigerians exercised their rights to elect persons of their choice and that these rights were recognised and respected.
“The rights that Nigerians will be exercising can only be respected if the results indeed indicate the choices made by the Nigerian people,’’ he added.
According to him, the Franchise 2015 is aimed at ensuring that all Nigerians are given the opportunity to exercise their franchise.
“The reason for Franchise 2015 is that today, Nigeria is going through a lot of security challenges which means that many people may not have the opportunity of exercising this franchise.
“The NHRC is collaborating with other agencies of government to ensure that even Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are given the opportunity to participate in the election process.
“Given the security situation, many people will be afraid to come out and vote, we need the support of every stakeholder to sensitise and encourage Nigerians to come out and vote people of their choice.”
Mr Osita Osita, the Director-General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, stressed the need to prosecute electoral offenders to serve as deterrent to others in subsequent elections.
He said “anyone who infringes on the Electoral Act must be dealt with because if we do not do that, it will lead to election violence.”
Mr Ade Abolurin, the Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), appealed for adequate provision for the welfare of security officers to be deployed on election duty to avoid compromise.
Abolurin, who was represented by an NSCDC Officer, Mr Godwin Agim, said any delay or non-payment of allowances of security officials could leave such officers at the mercy of politicians who might manipulate them.
Mrs Oti Ovrawah, the Director, Human Rights Institute and Chairman of Franchise 2015, said the project was to monitor hate speeches before, during and after the elections, among other things.
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She said “NHRC’s Franchise 2015 will be involved in monitoring of hate speeches as one of the predisposing factors for violence.
“It will also utilise the instruments under Nigeria’s laws, including indictment, for possible prosecution of suspects.”
She said the Commission had set up an Election Violence Incident Centre (EVIC) that would track incidents of violence and hate speech.
Ovrawah said the centres would collate reports on election violence across the country and make same available to election tribunals for the prosecution of offenders. (NAN)