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By Daniel Adaji
Political stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory have called for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Tribunal and a Police Electoral Offences Desk to strengthen the enforcement of electoral laws ahead of the February 2026 FCT Area Council elections.
The recommendation was part of a communiqué issued at the end of the FCT Anti-Electoral Offences Forum meeting held in Abuja recently.
A copy of the communiqué was made available to Pointblanknews.com on Friday.
The meeting, which brought together political party members, candidates, and representatives of civil society, reviewed the outcomes of an earlier forum held on September 17, 2025. The participants discussed strategies to curb electoral offences, enhance citizens’ awareness, and promote accountability during the electoral process.
The stakeholders urged political parties to engage the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on addressing irregularities affecting the enforcement of electoral offences laws during voter registration, campaigns, and elections.
The communiqué stressed the need for political parties to train their members on the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) dealing with electoral offences.
The forum further resolved that each political party should set up an Electoral Offences Prevention Committee to ensure compliance with election guidelines and laws. It also recommended a sustained media campaign, involving continuous dissemination of information through clips, stories, and videos to sensitize citizens on the dangers of electoral malpractices.
To ensure broader advocacy, participants called for collaboration with the Mandate Secretariat, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant agencies to push for enforcement of electoral offences laws. They also proposed advocacy meetings with various groups to deepen understanding and public participation in promoting credible elections.
In addition, the forum called for partnerships with anti-corruption agencies such as the ICPC, EFCC, and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to establish an Anti-Electoral Offence Brigade. The proposed brigade, made up of young people drawn from different political parties, will be tasked with monitoring polling centres to detect and report criminal activities like vote buying.
“These youths will be selected across different political parties, made to register before recruitment, requested to take an oath of the office they’ll fill and engage in training exercises that will be conducted for them,” the communiqué stated.
The forum also resolved to send letters to the FCTA seeking collaboration on voter education and sensitisation on citizens’ electoral rights and duties. Business owners, it said, should also be enlightened on how electoral offences negatively impact commerce and the economy, and encouraged to support anti-electoral campaigns.
Additionally, the communiqué urged INEC FCT to appoint Legal Officers to prosecute electoral offenders in accordance with Section 144 of the Electoral Act, and called on the Commissioner of Police, FCT, to set up an Electoral Offences Desk at the FCT Police Headquarters and divisional offices within the Area Councils.
It equally recommended that the Chief Judge of the FCT should establish a special Electoral Offences Tribunal to expedite the prosecution of offenders during the 2026 Area Council elections.
The communiqué, issued was signed by Chief Princewill Okorie, Miss Stella Ogilegwu, Ms Fatima Yusuf, and Mr Afolabi Wahab.