Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over electoral violence during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly Election.

SERAP in a letter dated 25 February 2019 signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare urged Buhari to refer cases of electoral violence, killings in states like Rivers, Lagos and Oyo to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The organisation noted that this will serve as a deterrent to offenders and justice to those killed during electoral process.

The statement read: “We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately refer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) pursuant to article 13 of the Rome Statute to which Nigeria is a state party, all allegations of election-related violence, intimidation and killings between 1999 and 2019 for investigation and prosecution.

“It is important to do this to send a powerful message that election-related violence, intimidation and killings will not be tolerated under your watch.

“Referral of the cases of election-related violence, intimidation and killings to the ICC would serve as a deterrent and ensure that Nigerians, particularly victims in the states that have repeatedly witnessed violence and whose human rights have been violated are not denied justice and effective remedies.

“The violence, intimidation and killings in some states around the just concluded general elections suggest that the electoral law and criminal law have over the years not been adequately enforced, and deterrence, through criminal sanctions, is failing.

“ Electoral violence a species of political violence–is not only a criminal act but crimes under international law, given its widespread and systematic nature over many years.

“Apart from undermining the integrity of elections and the democratic process, the repeated failure of successive governments to punish electoral violence has created a culture of impunity among politicians who persistently recruit and arm thugs to intimidate and kill political opponents, and citizens who are simply exercising their rights to participate in their own government.

“The election-related violence, intimidation and killings since 1999 also amount to a crime against deliberation and dialogue; against participation and peaceful means of settling disputes, and a blatant violation of the rights to life; bodily integrity; liberty; freedom of opinion, expression and association; to vote and freely choose elected representatives; property; and to not live in fear.

“Persistent violence, intimidation and other human rights violations around elections undermine the free expression of the will of voters and diminish the opportunity of citizens to hold their representatives to account through the electoral process for their exercise of power and spending of Nigeria’s commonwealth.

“Successive governments have failed abysmally to take positive measures to ensure ballot box security and prevent violence, intimidation and other serious violations of human rights for many years, invariably undermining the authority, independence, and efficacy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a body created to ensure free and fair elections as well as obstructing and distorting citizens’ right to freely exercising their right to vote and citizenship.”

“SERAP is concerned about reports of violence, intimidation and killings in many states of the country including Bayelsa, Borno, Rivers, Lagos, and Oyo states. At least 30 people have been reportedly killed and several injured during the just concluded presidential and legislative polls. Like previous elections since the return of democracy in 1999, the 2019 general elections of February 23, 2019 have witnessed violence, intimidation and killings in several states.

“SERAP therefore urges you to move swiftly to implement these proposed recommendations as a way of demonstrating your government’s commitment to end the culture and legacy of election-related violence, intimidation and killings in the country, ensure prosecution of suspected perpetrators and justice for victims as well as ensure the safety and security of Nigerian voters, observers and other people in subsequent elections.

“We also urge you to consider setting up a complementary national mechanism in the form of a commission of inquiry to investigate election-related violence, intimidation and killings between 1999 and 2019 in order to gather evidence relating to allegations of serious violations of human rights and crimes under international law and ensure the effective prosecution of politicians and others responsible for arming political thugs to commit these atrocities.

“Citizens are entitled to the internationally recognized right to a free and fair election, expressed in the principles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ to which Nigeria is a state party. The African Charter has been domesticated as part of our domestic laws.

“Establishing a commission of inquiry to investigate election-related violence, intimidation and killings since 29 May 1999 would help Nigerians to know exactly those behind these egregious violations of human rights and to bring suspected perpetrators and their sponsors to justice as well as contribute to preventing and deterring such incidents in future elections.

“The proposed commission should be led by a retired justice of the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The activities of the commission must be open to the public and all the governors of states that have repeatedly witnessed election-related violence, intimidation and killings should be summoned to give a public account of the number of abuses that have been recorded in their states over the years.

“The commission should make recommendations including on the prosecution of those found to have perpetrated directly or indirectly or are complicit in committing these criminal acts and serious violations of human rights.

“SERAP also notes that Nigeria is a key member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has “accountability, economic and social justice and popular participation in development” as part of the fundamental principles contained in its Revised Treaty. In a similar way, Nigeria is a state party to the UN Convention against Corruption. Article 1(c) of the Convention states the purpose of the treaty as including: ‘To promote integrity, accountability and proper management of public affairs and public property.’”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/serap-writes-petition-over-electoral.html

The violence, intimidation and killings in some states around the just concluded general elections suggest that the electoral law and criminal law have over the years not been adequately enforced, and deterrence, through criminal sanctions, is failing.
We also urge you to consider setting up a complementary national mechanism in the form of a commission of inquiry to investigate election-related violence, intimidation and killings between 1999 and 2019 in order to gather evidence relating to allegations of serious violations of human rights and crimes under international law and ensure the effective prosecution of politicians and others responsible for arming political thugs to commit these atrocities

Great words from a great unbiased group.
These are the critics who are genuinely concerned about a better Nigeria,
You will know them because when they see good efforts of government they also applaud and criticized when needed....
not Wailers, children of hate and perdition that hatred and bile filled their crooked heart 24/7, (we wonder how they live!)
We need more groups like this.

This is the next step Our Daddy will take as soon as he is re-elected and announced tomorrow, to look and rectify all the bad laws that PDP brought to us since 1999, that the evil and outgone senate President refused to append to.
Thank God Saraki is gone forever into oblivion.
To the NEXT LEVEL we go.

If elections were won by hashtags and nairaland polls, Atiku would have been sworn in by December, 2018.
The atikulooters were dropping hashtags per day. Nairaland polls were by the meridian.
But alas, it's all #Murus now.
Atikulated right now

Most Northern beggars and destitutes will have it rough in the next four years. The inhabitants of cities will hardly offer arms moving forward.
Thugs and political servants who collect election stipends voted for Buhari in the south. No man or woman who is desirous of the future of their children would vote Buhari.
Any Nairalander who is supportive of the govt is fed from home. You can't do business and thumbprint hardship.

#Richdad

The states mentioned self get as e be

Serap ko! Cherubim and Seraphim ni!

I see no reason y stark illiterate people will be dictating
the politics of this our country. just because the have uncirmcised pėnise

educated and sensible people voted one-way
uneducated uniformed barbarians voted the other way

later they will carry cattle, shoe maker kits and be
disturbing people here and there. if your north is so good
that you ended up voting buhari. pls remain there.


ondo pdp. Lagos +mindless rigging pdp oyo PDP and of
course south south and south east, all pdp. Southern
nigeria nor pass like this


and I pray the good yaya bello continue his wonderful
work in kogi. since they love apc better.

the people voting for buhari in abia may nnamdi kanu
fall on all you once more. and python dance (2) will
follow immediately


i curse all those that raise thier hands on fellow
compatriots. burning inec offices and stealing boxes,
intimidating inec officials to conform to thier standards.
the police men nd soldiers that murderd Nigerians you
will fall and be forgotten. for who kills by the sword sha
die by the sword


and may providence judge akpabio ameachi omoagege for
killing thier kiths and kins. all because of buhari
however PDP will survive. But apc should start preparing
for elections without buhari. it's not too early to start.
I salute all sane minded living in the north and south of
nigeria


co gratulations to pmb. pls bless us with your nepotism
and all the ills you held back b4. thank you

Silly. After you will begging for school fees on the forum. Registered in January 2019 but have solicited for funds 15 times in 400 posts. Next time you go and beg your sai baba

StupidInyamiri:
If elections were won by hashtags and nairaland polls, Atiku would have been sworn in by December, 2018.
The atikulooters were dropping hashtags per day. Nairaland polls were by the meridian.
But alas, it's all #Murus now.
Atikulated right now

StupidInyamiri:
If elections were won by hashtags and nairaland polls, Atiku would have been sworn in by December, 2018.
The atikulooters were dropping hashtags per day. Nairaland polls were by the meridian.
But alas, it's all #Murus now.
Atikulated right now

election was a sham

Ok

I didn't support Buhari nor Atiku but all I know is that God is with Buhari, the are praying and wishing him to die. The more they pray for him to die or loose, the more he bounces bk stronger and lively. Sai Baba joor. I'm still waiting for FAYOSE and Obasanjo 's comments

Deafening ��The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari has defeated the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in Kano State with over 1,073,195 margin.

The Collation Officer for the Presidential election in Kano, Prof. Magaji Garba, announced this on Tuesday following the collation of the result from the 44 local government areas of the state.



He said that the APC Presidential candidate scored 1,464,768 to defeat the PDP candidate who scored 391,593 votes.

He added that, “the total registered voters in the state are 5,391,581, while total accredited voters are 2,006,410.



“The total votes cast during the election on Saturday is 1,964,751 and the total valid vote is 1,891,134, while the total rejected vote is 73,617.”

Below is the breakdown of the result as announced by the electoral officers from all the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.

Ajingi
APC: 21,458
PDP: 5,267

Albasu
APC: 26,412
PDP: 10,285

Rano
APC: 23,855
PDP: 7,055

Kibiya
APC: 18,085
PDP: 11,023

Gezawa
APC: 29,954
PDP: 8,246

Gwale
APC: 50,834
PDP: 12,283

Bebeji
APC: 26,023
PDP: 8,190

Minjibir
APC: 27,725
PDP: 5870

Garko
APC: 22,356
PDP: 2,840

Kabo
APC: 29,482
PDP: 8,955

Kiru
APC: 29,739
PDP: 12,205

Doguwa
APC: 25,454
PDP: 7,013

Shanono
APC: 24,173
PDP: 8,469

Danbatta
APC: 31850
PDP: 6947

Wudil
APC: 28755
PDP: 5108

Bichi
APC: 42714
PDP: 11050

Dawakin Kudu
APC 39,261
PDP 10,751

Kura
APC 34,996
PDP 9,047

Kumbotso
APC 53,923
PDP 11,366

Takai
APC 38,477
PDP 5,877

Nasarawa
APC 84,289
PDP 16,140

Makoda
APC 24,749
PDP 3,234

Fagge
APC 31,010
PDP 15,492

Kano Municipal
APC 65,579
PDP 15, 523

Tarauni
APC 52,585
PDP 7,323

Dala
APC 65,047
PDP 16,711

Rogo
APC 32,991
PDP 12,465

Tofa
APC; 19,984,
PDP; 7732

Garun Malam:
APC, 23810,
PDP 4861.

Gaya
APC: 25,864
PDP: 6,577

Kunci
APC: 20372,
PDP: 4,983

Bagwai
APC: 23,375,
PDP: 10584

Bunkure
APC: 27,232
PDP: 9528

Karaye
APC: 23023
PDP: 8265

Rimin Gado
APC: 20,589
PDP: 10,305

Madobi
APC: 26110
PDP: 13113

Dawakin-Tofa
APC: 37417
PDP: 6507

Tudun Wada
APC 38,865
PDP 10,707

Gabasawa
APC: 24420
PDP: 6130

Sumaila
APC 34,609
PDP 4904

Tsanyawa
APC 25,823
PDP 5399

Gwarzo
APC 33,581
PDP 10,682

Ungogo LGA
APC: 51,842
PDP: 10,475

Minjibir LGA
APC: 27,725
PDP: 2840

Grand Total
APC 1,464,768
PDP 391,593

StupidInyamiri:
If elections were won by hashtags and nairaland polls, Atiku would have been sworn in by December, 2018.
The atikulooters were dropping hashtags per day. Nairaland polls were by the meridian.
But alas, it's all #Murus now.
Atikulated right now

Yes...Elections are won by rigging in Nigeria...we all know that...The circle continues every four years.

See whom they are writing letter to.
Firstly, can he even read the letter? Will he be able to understand it?
Secondly, what exactly do you want him to do
Misplaced priorities.

SERAH ko HANNAH ni abeg like for our Buhari and share for their Atikulooter.

See prove below

Please When is Orubebe coming in please?

Okay

That is not unusual, it is the normal development from the camp of losers after election. Atiku wailers I hope you are obediently atikulating with reality now?

platinum131:


Yes...Elections are won by rigging in Nigeria...we all know that...The circle continues every four years.

whatever that make you thru the night

serap shouldn't worry. The president elect and returned will do the needful.

No need for any petition, let Nigerians have what they deserve....


Buhari is it...... Then tinibu follows..... Then elrufai

Shame to Nigeria

The forest trees keep on decreasing, and they still vote for the axe simply because the handle is from their clan.

Don't deceive yourself, we are not giant of Africa, we are not even close to the second to last position.

Na wa, turnout in Kano and Katsina state was higher than Lagos. Chai... APC and Rigging

Has anyone heard from Fayose the 'sifia pain' star lately?

na wa