CSOs want electoral offences commission, voter register audit

A collection of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) accredited observers has called for the establishment of an electoral offences commission and an audit of the voter register.

The CSOs made this call at the presentation of Citizens’ Memorandum for Reform of the Electoral Legal Framework on Wednesday in Abuja.

They said the commission would address electoral offences that have characterised the nation’s voting process.

Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, Ibijoke Faborode, Executive Director, ElactHer, said the aim was to reposition the electoral legal framework against the backdrop of recent landmark judicial decisions.

Faborode said priority areas of reform in the memorandum included INEC independence, efficiency and professionalism, unbundling of INEC, electoral offences and election adjudication, and diaspora voting.

Others, he said, were special seats, political party reform, constituency delimitation, voter accreditation, voter registration, and voter registration.

He said other areas of concern were women, youths, and persons with disabilities, inclusivity, and early voting.

Mr. Samson Itodo, Executive Director, YIAGA Africa, said the reform was key to accountability and tackling impunity.

“The fact that people are not just going to jail as a result of vote buying is one that’s really troubling. One of the things that we have called on the National Assembly to do is to review the sanctions.

“What we are advocating is the need to look at the sanctions regime for this kind of behaviour.

“Nigerians and voters need to understand the implication of selling their votes. If they lose their voices, they cannot hold the politician accountable’’, Itodo said.

Dr. Akin Akingbolu, Executive Director, Centre for Media and Society, said there is a need to educate the citizenry that democracy is a work in progress.

Supreme News reports that the Citizens’ Memorandum contains 37 recommendations under 15 objectives and covers fifteen priority areas.

The recommendations aim to achieve a more credible, transparent, and accountable electoral process.