Why we can’t probe Mantu over rigging – INEC

Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, the director of publicity and voter
education of Independent National Electoral Commission, has
explained why the commission cannot punish former Deputy Senate
President, Ibrahim Mantu, over his recent confession that he has
been rigging elections.

The former senator had in a television interview confessed to
being part of the manipulation of past elections in Nigeria, using
officials of INEC and security operatives in favor of Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, which was Nigeria’s ruling party until
2015.

But PDP had disowned the senator’s confession, saying the party
had never directed or had any pact with Mantu to rig election on
its behalf.

There have been calls on INEC to prosecute Mantu over the
confession.

While reacting to the calls, Mr. Osaze-Uzzi said while the
Electoral Act (Sections 149 and 150), gives INEC powers to
prosecute electoral offenders, it does not give the commission the
power to make arrests and investigate electoral crimes.

Mr. Osaze who said that “if any security agency sends a report
to the commission regarding Mantu’s claim, then INEC will take
action”, pointed out that INEC is not an investigative body, as the
commission can only prosecute when investigation had been
concluded.

“The security agencies have to investigate first and when they
have concluded their investigation, they will send the case files
to us and if there is a case that has been established, we will
prosecute.”

However, sources within the police said Mantu can only be
investigated if INEC sent a petition to the police authorities.

A senior police officer said the Force could not take any action
against the former deputy Senate president because there was no
complaint before the police about Mantu’s alleged violation of the
electoral laws.

“Notwithstanding the admission of an electoral crime by the
former deputy Senate President, we can only investigate him if
there is a formal complaint by INEC or other agencies.

“For now, we don’t regard the telecast as an admission of crime
until we receive a complaint following which we would invite Mantu
and interrogate him,” the senior officer had stated.

Meanwhile, a coalition of over 400 civil society organizations
under the aegis of Transition Monitoring Group, has called on
Nigerians to be vigilant during the 2019 general elections to avoid
rigging and other forms of electoral irregularities.

Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, the director of publicity and voter
education of Independent National Electoral Commission, has
explained why the commission cannot punish former Deputy Senate
President, Ibrahim Mantu, over his recent confession that he has
been rigging elections.

The former senator had in a television interview confessed to
being part of the manipulation of past elections in Nigeria, using
officials of INEC and security operatives in favor of Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, which was Nigeria’s ruling party until
2015.

But PDP had disowned the senator’s confession, saying the party
had never directed or had any pact with Mantu to rig election on
its behalf.

There have been calls on INEC to prosecute Mantu over the
confession.

While reacting to the calls, Mr. Osaze-Uzzi said while the
Electoral Act (Sections 149 and 150), gives INEC powers to
prosecute electoral offenders, it does not give the commission the
power to make arrests and investigate electoral crimes.

Mr. Osaze who said that “if any security agency sends a report
to the commission regarding Mantu’s claim, then INEC will take
action”, pointed out that INEC is not an investigative body, as the
commission can only prosecute when investigation had been
concluded.

“The security agencies have to investigate first and when they
have concluded their investigation, they will send the case files
to us and if there is a case that has been established, we will
prosecute.”

However, sources within the police said Mantu can only be
investigated if INEC sent a petition to the police authorities.

A senior police officer said the Force could not take any action
against the former deputy Senate president because there was no
complaint before the police about Mantu’s alleged violation of the
electoral laws.

“Notwithstanding the admission of an electoral crime by the
former deputy Senate President, we can only investigate him if
there is a formal complaint by INEC or other agencies.

“For now, we don’t regard the telecast as an admission of crime
until we receive a complaint following which we would invite Mantu
and interrogate him,” the senior officer had stated.

Meanwhile, a coalition of over 400 civil society organizations
under the aegis of Transition Monitoring Group, has called on
Nigerians to be vigilant during the 2019 general elections to avoid
rigging and other forms of electoral irregularities.