The new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan has pledged to champion “electoral justice” in Nigeria as a core strategy to reduce the high number of post-election litigations.
Amupitan, in an interview with newsmen in Awka ahead of next Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State acknowledged that it is the right of a candidate or political party to seek legal redress in court over an election.
He said that under his leadership, INEC would strive to conduct an election where contestants would see no justification to contest, but would accept the outcome because it complied with the laws.
“One of the things I want to introduce in this country is electoral justice. So that if you lose, you know you have lost.
“When you feel cheated, or you have been short-changed by INEC or by undue advantage through the security men or whatever it is, and you say okay, I must go to court and challenge it.
“But if within yourself, you know that justice has been served. I’m sure that some people will now begin to accept it.
“Nobody can force anybody not to go to court. There’s what is known as access to justice, and the courts must wait for somebody to bring a case to court.
“So, if nobody brings a case, even if you set up a tribunal and nobody goes to the court, the court cannot force you to bring your case.
“It may not be immediate, but we are looking at a situation whereby our elections will not be faulted,’’ Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman said that while there is no perfect election, a near-perfect election would help reduce litigation.
