Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu “to promptly set up a presidential panel of enquiry to investigate the unlawful annulment of the elections of June 12 1993 and to identify those suspected to be responsible for the deliberate violations of Nigerians’ democratic freedoms.”
SERAP urged him “to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, as a defender of public interest, to bring to justice anyone responsible for the unlawful annulment of the elections of June 12 1993, regardless of their political status or affiliation.”
SERAP also urged him “to direct Mr Fagbemi to urgently draft and send to the National Assembly an executive bill to amend the Electoral Act 2022 including to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory and allow access of every voter to election documents.”
SERAP urged him “to direct Mr Fagbemi to immediately discontinue all the cases of Nigerians arrested, detained and facing unfair prosecutions solely for peacefully exercising their human rights including participating in peaceful protests.”
The President had in his speech at the National Assembly to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day expressed commitment “to rededicate ourselves to the ideals of June 12; freedom, transparent and accountable government, social justice, active citizen participation, and a just society where no one is oppressed.”
In the letter dated 14 June 2025 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “These expressed commitments won’t be enough unless your government demonstrates the political will to combat impunity for the annulment of the June 12 elections and advance Nigerians’ democratic freedoms.”
SERAP said, “No one is above the law, and there is no statute of limitations for violations of democratic freedoms. The ‘ideals of June 12’ cannot be achieved and real democracy cannot flourish in Nigeria without electoral accountability, democratic and human rights reforms and strict obedience to the rule of law.”
The letter, read in part: “Amending the Electoral Act to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory and allow access of every voter to the results would ensure free, fair and transparent elections and improve public confidence in the electoral process.
“Impunity for the annulment of June 12 elections has continued to encourage politicians to undermine the country’s elections and deny Nigerians their right to political participation and other human rights.
“Addressing impunity for the unlawful annulment of the June 12 elections and ensuring electoral and human rights reforms would improve Nigeria’s electoral process and citizens’ right to participate in their own government in free, fair and transparent elections.
“Directing Mr Fagbemi to immediately discontinue all the cases against Nigerians facing prosecutions solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights would strengthen democratic freedoms and improve respect for human rights and the rule of law”.
