By CChioma Favour
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu OFR SAN, has said that the Commission commemorates June 12 as a reminder that credible elections are a fundamental human right, not a privilege.
He said that the June 12, 1993 election remains Nigeria’s clearest proof that free, fair, and transparent polls are possible when institutions respect the will of the people.
He noted that Prof. Humphrey Nwosu’s Option A4 and the Modified Open Ballot system demonstrated that electoral integrity could be achieved through sincerity of the Electoral Management Body, openness and fidelity to the law.
The Number One Human Rights Officer in Nigeria stressed that the right to participate in government through free elections is protected under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He stated that voter suppression, vote buying, electoral violence, and result manipulation are not merely procedural flaws but direct violations of citizens’ civil and political rights.
He expressed concern that three decades later, these violations continued to undermine public trust, weaken accountability, and erode the dignity of Nigerian voters.
Chief Ojukwu added that when elections lack integrity, the rights to expression, association, participation and peaceful assembly are also threatened.
The Executive Secretary called on INEC, political parties, security agencies, the judiciary, civil society, and the media to uphold neutrality, transparency, and accountability.
He affirmed that the NHRC will intensify its monitoring of electoral processes, document violations, and pursue remedies for Nigerians and victims in line with its mandate.
He urged the National Assembly to strengthen laws safeguarding electoral independence and access to justice.
He concluded that institutionalizing electoral integrity is essential to realizing the right to free and fair elections in Nigeria, and that the NHRC stands ready to work with Government and all stakeholders to make credible elections a lived reality for every citizen.
Fatimah Agwai Mohammed,
Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages.
