Sensitises 30 Young Lawyers on electoral justice
Gilbert Ekugbe
Yiaga Africa has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prosecute and arrest politicians who indulge in vote buying activities, while also calling on electorates to desist from bribing INEC staff or officials upon collection of their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
The Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, at an election law clinic in Lagos, said in some States across the country, politicians are buying PVCs from electorates which he described as an electoral offense in Nigeria’s electoral law.
“We hope that the security agencies will take action and prosecute and arrest people who are in possession of PVCs, but there are also cases of extortion that people who have come to collect their PVCs either being forced to pay bribes. What we have urged the public to do is refuse, and do not pay bribes to collect your PVCs and If anyone makes those demands of you report, those INEC staff or those officials and we as civil society will be ready to take up that issue with INEC and INEC needs to demonstrate that it is it is against its staff who are involved in this illegality and extortion which negates our democratic principles by all standards,” he said.
He also called on INEC to sanction any of its staff that is involved in the extortion of innocent Nigerians who have only shown up to collect what is rightfully theirs.
He however, stated that the law clinic was part of its efforts increase youth candidates and increase political inclusion, adding that it was necessary to mobilise young lawyers that can support youth candidates with pro bono legal services to provide them guidance or provisions on the electoral legal framework to help youth candidates support their mandate.
“We thought that it is part of our own contribution and we are working with the Young Lawyers Forum (YLF) to build their capacity on the electoral legal framework in this case the electoral act and constitution and also training them on the election law, because like Yiaga Africa with the support of the UK Aid, the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office of United Kingdom to design an electoral law curriculum based on the current electoral legal framework, and this is building their capacities on the electoral Act, but also mobilizing them and urging them to volunteer support to youth candidates who are running in the next election as a way of advancing youth participation,” he added.
He noted that the clinic will help to curb such cases that undermine national sovereignty while urging institutions and Nigerians to call out the government and people who fail to obey court ruling.
On his part, the former President of the Nigeria Bar Association of Young Lawyers Forum, Ikeja Branch, Yusuf Nurudeen said: “This clinic is a form of partnership between the NBA-YLF and Yiaga Africa to see how we can change the face of democracy and elections in Nigeria.
“You know that electoral litigation is cost intensive and young candidates do not have access to such funds to mobilize lawyers. This is a way that we can forego our professional fees to create a huge impact in the election because as young lawyers, we are part of the youthful population of the country and we understand the plight of the young people.”
Describing Nigeria’s justice system, the legal practitioner said that the country’s judiciary is evolving every day.
He said: “You see decisions of courts, going back and forth on issues, but most importantly, we see a lot of evolution.
“With this kind of clinic, more young lawyers will be fusing into the election law and litigation process unlike the regular faces who take advantage of prominence to charge much money from candidates. You’re going to see a new brand of viral litigation lawyers on election matters.”
On her part, a participant, Chioma Esuabom said the training will enable young lawyers step in as major stakeholders in society when it comes to education and election law practices
