Prof. Attahiru Jega, former Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for a review of extant laws to further deepen democracy in Nigeria.
Jega made the call on Tuesday n a paper he presented at a one-day National Democracy Day Anti-Corruption Summit held in Abuja.
The paper entitled: “Curbing Electoral Spending And Voter Inducement In Nigeria: The Role Of Regulatory And Law Enforcement Agencies”.
In his recommendations, Jega said that more attention should be paid to the strengthening of campaign finances and legislation against vote buying.
“The objective is to impose limits on campaign and general political finance spending and impose stiff penalties for none compliance,” he said.
He said that corporate contributions to political parties and candidates should be banned.
Other recommendations Jega made included strengthening the capacity and relative independence of security and anti-corruption agencies as well as INEC.
“This is to monitor political actors and enforce compliance with legal requirements of campaign financing and vote-buying in the Constitution and the Electoral Act without fear, partiality or favour,” he said.
He further said that electoral integrity was key to Nigeria’s democratic and socio-economic development.
READ: INEC issues Rochas Okorocha Certificate of Return, appeals court verdict
“All hands need to be on deck to protect and defend the integrity of elections in the country,” jega said.
Similarly, former President, Court of Appeal, Ayo Salami, who spoke on “the Use of Public Funds In Election Litigation And the Integrity of The Judiciary”, said that the administration of President Muhammad Buhari had shown demonstrable character, commitment and sincerity in the fight against corruption.
Salami said： “I reliably gathered that there were about 639 pre-election cases that arose from the various primaries and 736 election petition cases emanating from from the just concluded elections.
“This clearly reveals the heated nature of electoral contest in Nigeria.
“Notwitstanding that our laws provide for resolution of disputes arising from electoral process through courts, the alarming number of election petitions in court leaves much to be desired.
“This development calls for a review of our electoral process.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
