The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has identified the non-prosecution of electoral offenders as a major challenge to free and fair elections in Nigeria. According to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, electoral offences will remain a problem in Nigeria as long as people can commit the crimes and get away without consequences.
Mr Ojukwu made these remarks when he hosted a delegation from the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja. The visiting delegation was led by the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (SRSG) and Head of UNOWAS, Leonardo Simao. The visit discussed Nigeria’s political and security developments, particularly preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The NHRC has discovered that people who commit election offences often act on behalf of key politicians, making it difficult to hold the politicians accountable for the acts of their agents. This, according to Mr Ojukwu, creates a fragile environment where anyone can try anything they like during elections. He expressed displeasure over the failure to implement a recommendation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais electoral reform report for the establishment of an election offences framework.
The Justice Mohammed Uwais committee was set up by the then-President Umaru Yar’adua to reform the nation’s electoral system after admitting that the 2007 election that brought him into office was flawed. Mr Ojukwu noted that the visit was a good occasion to bring this issue to the limelight, expressing confidence that the delegation would further interface with key government officials.
The NHRC has observed that political campaigns for the 2027 general elections have been marked by controversial remarks from public figures. Prominent Islamic cleric Sani Jingir described Nigeria as a Muslim-majority country and called for mass support for the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027, generating backlash and leading to the NHRC’s demand for Mr Jingir’s arrest for inciting religious hatred and hate speech.
To curb these developments, the NHRC is preparing an advisory to guide the behaviour of political actors, security operatives, and for the government to know its limits in interfering with citizens’ rights. Another advisory to guide the government’s response to civic space is also in place to help address the fear induced by the misuse of the Cybercrime Act.
Mr Simao commended the NHRC for its effort, noting that campaigns must occur within the limits of the law, the preservation of human life, and particularly the prevention of violence. He encouraged NHRC to continue with its patriotic engagement to conduct peaceful elections, adding that the delegation did not come as inspectors to police the activities of the NHRC.
Key points
- The NHRC has identified non-prosecution of electoral offenders as a challenge to free and fair elections.
- The commission has observed that people who commit election offences often act on behalf of key politicians.
- The NHRC is preparing advisories to guide the behaviour of political actors and security operatives during the 2027 general elections.
