The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why it cannot investigate or prosecute former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu who recently confessed to rigging previous elections for his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, stated this in an interview with Punch.
“If any security agency sends a report to the commission regarding Mantu’s claim, then INEC will take action. We are not an investigative body. We 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.”
“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 statement is coming after members of a coalition of civil society groups, OurMumuDonDo, led by Charly boy demanded the prosecution of the former Senate President. The group had demanded that Mantu be arraigned for allegedly undermining the conduct of elections in the country.
