The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, has declared that credible elections are a fundamental human right and not a privilege granted to citizens.

Ojukwu made the assertion while commemorating June 12, stressing that the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election remains Nigeria’s strongest evidence that free, fair, and transparent elections are achievable when institutions respect the will of the people.

According to him, the electoral model introduced by the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, particularly the Option A4 and Modified Open Ballot System, demonstrated that electoral credibility could be attained through sincerity of purpose by Electoral Management Bodies, transparency, and strict adherence to the law.

The NHRC boss said the right of citizens to participate in governance through free elections is guaranteed under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

He warned that voter suppression, vote buying, electoral violence, and manipulation of results are not mere electoral irregularities but direct violations of citizens’ civil and political rights.

Ojukwu expressed concern that decades after the June 12 election, such practices continue to weaken public confidence, undermine accountability, and diminish the dignity of Nigerian voters.

He noted that elections lacking integrity also threaten other fundamental freedoms, including the rights to expression, association, participation, and peaceful assembly.

The NHRC Executive Secretary called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, security agencies, the judiciary, civil society organisations, and the media to uphold neutrality, transparency, and accountability in the electoral process.

He assured that the Commission would intensify monitoring of elections, document human rights violations, and pursue appropriate remedies for victims in line with its mandate.

Ojukwu also urged the National Assembly to strengthen legal frameworks that protect electoral independence and guarantee citizens’ access to justice.

He maintained that institutionalising electoral integrity remains critical to making free and fair elections a reality for all Nigerians, adding that the NHRC remains committed to working with stakeholders to protect citizens’ democratic rights.