Legal luminary, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently constitute an electoral offences tribunal as recommended by the Electoral Reforms Panel chaired by Mohammed Uwais.
Agbakoba said the establishment of a special court dedicated to prosecuting electoral offences would curb the persistent fraud that has marred Nigeria’s electoral process and significantly restore public confidence in the ballot box.
Speaking with reporters in Lagos on national issues, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association stressed that credible elections remain the bedrock of democracy and national development. He noted that despite repeated reforms, the absence of a specialised mechanism to prosecute electoral crimes has continued to undermine accountability.
According to him, setting up the tribunal would serve as a strong deterrent to vote-buying, ballot snatching, result manipulation and other electoral malpractices. He argued that offenders often escape justice due to the slow pace of regular courts and the lack of focused prosecution.
Agbakoba also commended President Tinubu for issuing Executive Order Nine, describing it as a bold move that aligns governance practices with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The Executive Order directs the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to remit its revenues directly to the Federation Account Allocation Committee and withdraws the company’s powers to deduct revenues at source, as previously provided under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The senior advocate, however, advised the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to seek clarification from the Supreme Court on any constitutional ambiguities arising from the Executive Order and the PIA.
He maintained that where inconsistencies exist between statutory provisions and the constitution, the appropriate legal step would either be a definitive pronouncement by the apex court or an amendment of the Act to reflect constitutional dictates.
Agbakoba emphasised that strengthening institutions, upholding constitutional supremacy, and ensuring electoral accountability are critical steps toward deepening Nigeria’s democracy and fostering sustainable national growth.
