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SERAP Sues INEC for Failing to Prosecute Ekiti Vote Buyers

Published

3 years ago

July 25, 2022

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to prosecute those suspected of vote buying and electoral bribery during the Ekiti State governorship election on June 17.

Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, SERAP lawyers, filed the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1189/2022, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday.

SERAP sought “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to seek and obtain detailed information about reports of vote buying by the three leading political parties in the 2022 Ekiti State governorship election”.

SERAP also sought an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to promptly and effectively prosecute those arrested for vote buying and bribery.

“Vote buying undermines the ability of INEC to discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended), paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the constitution and the Electoral Act 2022,” SERAP argued.

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“Ending impunity for vote buying and electoral bribery would contribute to free and fair elections. A corruption-free electoral process is essential for building public confidence in the electoral process and the credibility and legitimacy of the 2023 elections.

“One of the people’s most sacred rights is the right to vote. INEC has a constitutional and statutory responsibility to ensure the effective exercise of the right of all eligible voters to participate in their own government in free and fair elections.

“Many years of allegations of vote buying and electoral bribery and entrenched impunity of perpetrators have undermined public confidence in the electoral process.

“Preventing and combating vote buying and electoral bribery would advance the people’s right to vote and to participate in their own government, as well as bolster the ability of INEC to effectively discharge its constitutional and statutory mandates.

“Prosecuting allegations of vote buying and electoral bribery would be entirely consistent with the Nigerian constitution, the electoral act and the country’s international human rights anti-corruption obligations.”

FIJ had reported pockets of violence and electoral malpractice in several polling units during the Ekiti governorship election, and SERAP had given INEC a seven-day ultimatum to investigate and prosecute suspects.

Agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) reportedly engaged in vote buying across Ekiti State in June. Some of these agents offered voters as much as N10,000 in exchange for their votes.

SERAP said that no date had been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

FIJ

Related Topics:Ekiti INEC SERAP Vote Buyers

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Rainstorm destroys schools, mosques, others in Kwara community

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April 2, 2025

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Rainstorm destroys schools, mosques, others in Kwara community

Rainstorm has destroyed some public and residential buildings in Ogele, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The storm also rendered scores of residents homeless

The incident, which occurred in the night of Eid- el- Fitr celebration, affected schools, mosques and other buildings. They included the Ansarul Islam Primary School, Community Secondary School, health centre and Mosques

Other were concrete poles and high tension wires supplying electricity to Ogele, Afon and other communities.

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Some victims of the rainstorm said they were still counting their losses.

They appealed to the government, individuals and organisations for help.

Aare Ogele, Alhaji Abubakar Akanbi, whose residence was also affected, called for government’s aid for the victims, including the Mufti of the community.

Chairman, Ogele Descendants Progressive Union (ODPU), Alhaji Issa Akanbi-Oniyo, said the incident had left many residents homeless.

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Rivers police arrest General Overseer for alleged homosexuality

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April 2, 2025

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Rivers police arrest General Overseer for alleged homosexuality

The Octopus (C4i) Strike Force Unit of the Nigeria Police has arrested a General Overseer of a new generation church in Eagle Island, Diobu, Port Harcourt over allegations of homosexuality.

The Guardian gathered that the General Overseer, nicknamed Elijah, was arrested after videos of him engaging in homosexual acts were leaked to the police by a male acquaintance named Patrick.

The acquaintance, who had been the target of the cleric’s advances, reportedly played along and captured nude videos of the pastor as evidence. The police, acting on credible intelligence, traced him to one of his relaxation spots in Port Harcourt, where he was arrested and taken into custody for investigation.

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Sources close to the investigation revealed that he has allegedly confessed to numerous acts of homosexuality involving both male adults and minors within and outside Port Harcourt.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe Koko, stated that the investigation is ongoing.

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Police hunt for last suspect in LASU graduate killing

Published

2 hours ago

April 2, 2025

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Ogubode Adedamola and Evangelist Whepetoji Babaniyeh

Police hunt for last suspect in LASU graduate killing

The Lagos State Police Command on Monday said it had intensified its search for Teniola Ajisomo, who is the remaining suspect linked to the murder of a 28-year-old graduate of Lagos State University, Adedamola Ogunbode.

The Lagos State Police Command on March 12, exhumed the body of the late Ogunbode from a shallow grave behind the LASU fence in its Ojo campus.

Newstrends reported that the deceased, a Political Science Education graduate, had been missing since January 16.

Among those arrested during police investigations were Sunday Whepetoji, a pastor, who allegedly received N70,000 from the victim’s account; and Sheriff Adebayo, a church member, accused of also receiving N300,000.

Also, Omolara Ajisomo, who allegedly helped her children, Teniola and Olaoluwa Ajisomo, escape to Cotonou, Benin Republic, after each received N300,000 from the victim’s account, was arrested too.

Meanwhile, Olaoluwa was arrested in the Alakuko area of the state before leading the police to the shallow grave.

Reacting to an inquiry by PUNCH Metro on Monday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said Teniola was still on the run.

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He said, “The suspect is still at large and we are trying to get him and we will soon get him. The Shepherd and Sheriff are in Ikoyi correctional centre and Ajisomo who took us to the grave is still with us and is assisting with the investigation.”

Hundeyin also confirmed that Omolara who aided the escape of her children had been released.

“The mother of two of the suspects has been released. She was arrested because her children used her identity to register the SIM. It was the SIM registration that led us to her. But when we discovered that she was not the one using the phone and we arrested the person using the phone, so we let the mother go.”

Hundeyin who addressed newsmen in the course of the probe said the church where some people alleged that the missing boy was killed and buried had been sealed to prevent it from being burned.

“The church was sealed following intelligence reports that some people planned to burn it down out of vengeance, and we do not want that to happen.

“It is still a suspected crime scene, we still need to go over it, and we may need to revisit that scene multiple times for us to gather evidential value.

“The church has been sealed for now to prevent it from being burnt. And we assure the public that updates will be given about the investigation and the progress we have made as soon as we get new updates,” he said.

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