The senate has prescribed 20 years jail term for persons caught snatching
ballot materials during elections.
The senate on Tuesday passed the
bill establishing the Electoral Offences Commission.
The approval of the commission
followed the consideration of the report of the senate committee on Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The function of the commission includes investigating electoral offences, prosecution of electoral offenders, and maintaining records of all persons investigated and prosecuted.
Abubakar Kyari, senator
representing Borno north, sponsored the bill in 2019.
Here are some key highlights of
the bill:
Five years jail term or N10m
fine for party officials who engage in electoral fraud
The senate in Clause 12 of the
bill approved at least five years imprisonment or a fine of at least N10
million naira or both, for any officer or executives of any association or
political party that engages in electoral fraud that contravenes the provisions
of clauses 221, 225(1)(2)(3) and (4) and 227 of the 1999 Constitution as
amended.
10 years jail term for selling
voter’s card
It also approved ten years
imprisonment for any person who sells voter’s card, or in possession of any
voter’s card bearing the name of another person, or prepares and prints a
document or paper purporting to be a register of voters or a voter’s card.
10 years jail term for
election officials who prevent voting
The senate also gave its nod to a
term of at least ten years upon conviction for any election official who
willfully prevents any person from voting at the polling station, willfully
rejects or refuses to count any ballot paper validly cast, willfully
counts any ballot paper not validly cast, gives false evidence or withholds
evidence, and announces or declares a false result at an election. The
upper chamber in Clause 20(2) approved at least fifteen years imprisonment for
any judicial officer or officer of a court or tribunal who corruptly perverts
electoral justice, during or after an election.
15 years for influencing
outcome of elections
The senate also gave at least
fifteen years jail term or N30 million naira fine for any security personnel or
election official engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission or
State Electoral Commission who attempts to influence the outcome of an
election.
Six months imprisonment for
disturbing the peace
In addition, any person found to
disturb the public peace on Election Day by playing musical instruments,
singing or holding an assembly where a polling station is located shall be
guilty of breaching electoral peace and liable to six months imprisonment or a
fine of at least N100,000 or both.
10 years jail term for
defaming candidates
Also, any person acting for
himself or on behalf of any organization or political party or candidate or his
agent with the intention of prejudicing the result of an election, damage or
defame, in any manner, the character of any candidate in an election or his
family member by making, saying, printing, airing or publishing in
the print or electronic media false accusation on any matter shall be guilty of
serious corrupt practice and liable on conviction to a term of at least ten
years or a fine of ten million naira or both.
Five years jail term or N10m
fine for soliciting votes
Any person soliciting or giving
votes for or against any political party or candidate at an election, or found
to affix campaign materials on any private house, public buildings or
structures, or prints posters and banners without the name and address of the
political party to which the candidate or person belongs contravenes sub-clause
(1) to (5) and guilty of an offence and liable to at least five years or a fine
of at least ten million naira, or both.
20 years jail term for
snatching ballot boxes
Also, any candidate or agent who
damages or snatches ballot boxes, ballot papers or election materials before,
during and after an election without the permission of election official in
charge of the polling station attracts at least twenty years imprisonment or a
fine of at least forty million naira.
15 years jail term for
influencing voters’ choice
The senate approved at least
fifteen years imprisonment for any person who conveys voters to and from the
poll; and three years imprisonment for any employee who directly or indirectly
exerts undue influence on a voter in his employ.
10 years or N5m fine for hate
speech
It also gave the nod for at least
ten years imprisonment or at least twenty million naira fine or both for any
person who uses hate speech to stir up ethnic, religious or racial hatred,
social or political insecurity or violence against anyone or group of persons.
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