The National Electoral Offences Commission Bill has been approved by the
Senate, and if President Muhammadu Buhari signs it, the commission
would be responsible for investigating and punishing electoral offences.The Chairman, Secretary, and representatives from the Ministries of
Justice, Interior, Defense, and Information make up the Commission’s
membership.
The National Electoral Offences Commission, if created, will have the
ability to hire and retain investigators, prosecutors, and specialists
to prosecute electoral offenders, according to the law, which was
introduced for a third reading during Tuesday’s plenary session.
According to This Day, here’s what the bill includes, as well as the penalties for breaking it:
At least five years jail term or at least N10m fine for party officials/executives who engage in electoral fraud
In Clause 12 of the bill, the Senate approved a sentence of at least
five years in prison or a fine of at least N10 million naira, or both,
for any officer or executive of any association or political party who
engages in electoral fraud in violation of clauses 221, 225(1)(2)(3) and
(4), and 227 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Fifteen years imprisonment for any person involved in the selling of voter’s card
Any individual who sells a voter’s card, or is in possession of a
voter’s card containing the name of another person, or produces and
prints a document or paper purporting to be a voter’s register or a
voter’s card, would face 10 years in jail, according to the Senate.
Any election official who deliberately hinders someone from voting will face at least ten years in prison
The Senate also agreed to a ten-year sentence for any election
official who willfully prevents a person from voting at a polling
station, willfully rejects or refuses to count any validly cast ballot
paper, willfully counts any ballot paper not validly cast, gives false
evidence or withholds evidence, and announces or declares a false
election result.
At least fifteen years imprisonment for any judicial officer who corruptly perverts electoral justice
During or after an election, any judicial official or officer of a
court or tribunal who corruptly perverts electoral justice will be
sentenced to at least fifteen years in jail.
Fifteen years imprisonment for security personnel influencing the outcome of elections
Any security personnel or election official employed by the
Independent National Electoral Commission or a State Electoral
Commission who attempts to influence the outcome of an election faces at
least fifteen years in prison or a fine of N30 million naira.
Six months imprisonment for disturbing the peace
Anyone detected disturbing the public peace on Election Day by
playing musical instruments, singing, or convening an assembly near a
voting station is guilty of violating electoral peace and faces a
maximum penalty of six months in jail or a fine of N100,000, or both.
Ten years jail term for defaming candidates
Any person acting for himself or on behalf of any organization,
political party, candidate, or his agent with the intent to influence
the outcome of an election, damage or defame the character of any
candidate in an election or his family member in any way by making,
saying, printing, airing, or publishing in the print or electronic media
false accusations on any matter shall be liable.
Soliciting votes attracts five years jail term or N10m fine
Anyone found soliciting or giving votes for or against any political
party or candidate in an election, or affixing campaign materials on any
private house, public building or structure, or printing posters and
banners without the name and address of the political party to which the
candidate or person belongs is guilty of an offence and liable to at
least five years in prison.
Ten years or N20m fine for hate speech
Someone who uses hate speech to incite ethnic, religious, or racial
hatred, social or political insecurity, or violence against anyone or a
group of people will face at least 10 years in jail or a fine of at
least twenty million naira, or both.
Twenty years jail term for snatching ballot boxes
Any candidate or agent who damages or steals ballot boxes, ballot
papers, or election materials without the authorization of the election
official in charge of the polling station faces a minimum of twenty
years in jail or a fine of at least forty million naira.
Influencing voters’ choice attracts fifteen years jail term
Any individual who transports voters to and from the polls will face
at least fifteen years in jail, while an employee who directly or
indirectly exerts undue influence on a voter in his employ would face
three years in prison.
Three years to five years in jail for providing false information
Anyone who provides false information in any material particular to a
public servant will face three years to five years in prison, according
to the upper chamber.
