Acting Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mrs. Oti Ovrawah, has disclosed that the report of the Commission’s Project on End Electoral Impunity which considered the “criminal and administrative indictments contained in the judgements and orders of the Election Petitions Tribunals and Court of Appeal on the 2015 General Election will soon be made public.”
Ovrawah disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while playing host to the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Mohammed Ibn Chambers, who paid her a working visit.
She also gave the assurance that the Commission had begun “preparations for the monitoring of the 2019 General Elections, including the on-going voter registration and the right to political participation of the internally displaced persons and the physically challenged.”
The NHRC boss added that monitoring the conduct of security personnel and other stakeholders during elections “is considered crucial as it plays vital role in ensuring safe and free exercise of right to political participation.”
Speaking on security challenges, Ovrawah said the Commission had carried out several activities to address the human rights and humanitarian challenges of the people affected by the insurgency in the North-east.
On the persistent herdsmen, farmers’ clashes, she said the Commission “has set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the crisis with a view to making appropriate recommendations to the federal government.”
Earlier, in his remarks, the special representatives noted that the Commission “is a key player in addressing issues of threat to peace and security which is presently affecting the country.”
He urged the Commission to continue to sensitise stakeholders on the need to respect human rights at all times, including electioneering process, noting that “this will engender peaceful, free and fair elections.”
