Mantu’s confession a call for electoral offences commission – Adegboruwa, Ogunye

…CACOL wants Mantu to name accomplices
Renowned lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has reacted to a confessional statement by former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu that he rigged elections in the past.

Mantu, had admitted that he helped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rig elections in the past.

Adegboruwa speaking to newsmen over the weekend said Mantu’s confession had justified the need for the establishment of an electoral offences commission.

This is even as the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, Debo Adeniran, has called on Senator Mantu to list his accomplices in helping the PDP rig elections in the past.

According to Adegboruwa, “We have always agitated for an electoral offences commission, which will be different from the regular police, which will have the power to prosecute political thugs, riggers, bribe-givers and bribe-takers, and because most of our leaders are as guilty as Mantu is, that call has not been heeded.

“So, I think that Mantu’s confession is a wake-up call for us to enact that policy of having a separate electoral offences commission.

“In respect of Mantu, there is little or nothing we can do, there’s no complainant, we don’t know the election he claimed to have rigged.”

Also speaking, Lagos-based lawyer, Jiti Ogunye said Mantu’s confession might not be useful as it was not particularised, adding that he has, however, set the stage to be questioned by law enforcement agency.

Ogunye said, “His confession is a confession at large, made to the general public; it is not a confession that is tied to a specific allegation. And very instructively, he did not volunteer that statement under caution.

“The confession is not tied to a specific crime that is being investigated by a law enforcement agency, which can result in possible criminal prosecution.

“At best, what he did can set the stage for him to be invited by a serious-minded and proactive law enforcement agency.”

In his reaction Adeniran advised that Mantu should not be allowed to go scot-free, but made to account for his deeds.

Adeniran said “It is like the God of the Nigerian people is actually at work and that means that those who have committed damaging crimes that have kept Nigeria perpetually low are being spiritually induced to start confessing and that is why Mantu and all his accomplices should be rounded up.

“He should name those who participated in the rigging machinery of the PDP when they imposed themselves on Nigerians against what the ballot said.

“This case should not be allowed to lie low; the man should be made to account for his deeds.

“The punishment may be discounted, a kind of amnesty, but he should not be allowed to go scot-free.”