•Senate moves to criminalise forceful declaration of election results

Fred Itua, Abuja




The Senate has initiated moves to impose criminal sanctions on any person who threatens or coerces an electoral officer into declaring results of an election.

Under the proposed law, presidents, governors, senators and others seeking political offices would be jailed for three years if found guilty of forcing electoral officers to declare results under duress. The law also proposes a fine of up to N1 million for offenders.

The Bill comes amid allegations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that its officials are often forced by candidates of political parties to declare them winners.

Senator Uche Ekwunife who represents Anambra Central is the sponsor of the Bill.

The move is part of an Amendment Bill of the 2010 Electoral Act. It is tagged: “A Bill for an Act to amend the provisions of the Electoral Act (2010) to impose criminal sanctions on any person who coerces am electoral officer to declare results under duress, and other matters related thereto.

The Bill which has already passed its first reading states: “Section 131 of the Principal Act is amended in subsection (d) by deleting the phrase “commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 3 years.”

“Section 13 of the Principal Act is further amended by introducing a new subsection as follows- assaults, threatens, intimidates or coerces an Electoral Officer into declaring the results of an election under duress, or against his will, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years.

Meanwhile, the Senate has directed its Committees on Special Duties, Ecology and Climate Change and Environment to investigate the effectiveness of the National Emergency Management Agency over disaster response in 2019.

It has also directed NEMA to implement a response programme for flood disaster affecting communities in Demsa, Numa, Guyuk and Lamurde local governments of Adamawa State.

These were resolutions reached on Tuesday sequel to the consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Binos Yaroe (APC, Adamawa South).

The lawmaker who lamented the flooding which occurred in October 2019 as a result of release of excess water by the authorities of Lagbo dam in Cameroon, accused NEMA of being selective in its disaster response interventions.

“NEMA performed a disaster response action by distributing relief materials to communities in Furore, Yola South, Yola North and Girei local governments of Adamawa affected by the floods.

“This intervention by NEMA was not extended to other local governments along the River Benue valley equally affected by the flood disaster.

“Although the attention of the Director-General of NEMA was drawn to the need to provide relief materials to communities of the four local governments in Adamawa severely affected by the October floods, nothing has been done; NEMA would appear to be selective in its disaster response interventions,” Yaroe said.

The Senate, yesterday, also considered a Bill for an Act to amend the National Council on Public Procurement and Bureau of Public Procurement Act No. 14 of 2007.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/president-govs-senators-others-risk-3-yr-jail-term/

And who would sign the bill...

Cowhari that didnt sign the electoral amendment bill will now sign this one.. which kind weed did this Senate smoke?

Naijiriya is a chess game in the hands of wicked politicians

Why not pass same law on corruption?

Jokers

[s]

helinues:
Why not pass same law on corruption?

Jokers

[/s]

helinues:
Why not pass same law on corruption?

Jokers

What happened to one step at a time?

You have APC senators there, why can't they sponsor a bill on corruption?

The most they can do is sponsor death penalty against freedom of speech.

Meanwhile this electoral reform bill should also state that such candidate who has so been found guilty, shall not run for any electoral office for a period of ten years.

We need to stop these nonsenses.

Islie:




•Senate moves to criminalise forceful declaration of election results see






https://www.sunnewsonline.com/president-govs-senators-others-risk-3-yr-jail-term/


Lalasticlala

Nigeria don't lack laws but the problem is always implementation 80% of the senators and house of representatives members that are going to approve this bill are even guilty of this criminal behaviors.

Which president? lol

Reducing you lots bogus renumeration will be an icing on the National golden cake.

noted

Sincerely I don't have confidence in this current Senate,anyways they stand to prove me wrong.

DonFreshmoney:
And who would sign the bill...

Cowhari that didnt sign the electoral amendment bill will now sign this one.. which kind weed did this Senate smoke?

Keep wailing

Case way them go throw out, say e no get evidence or substance, especially if the culprit is powerful, abeg make I go sell my market wetin I know...

Ok. Fingers crossed.

“Section 13 of the Principal Act is further amended by introducing a new subsection as follows- assaults, threatens, intimidates or coerces an Electoral Officer into declaring the results of an election under duress, or against his will, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years.

we are still joking, what is 1 millionaire to this ones.
if the senate are serious the OR should be replaced by AND

Anoda scam

Awon oni ro rada rada

This law is good

but this is still my suggestion

lets go electronic voting with our NIN (National Identity Numbers) as a check against manipulations
with it u can vote with ur phones
those without phones will vote on an INEC stationed machines with their numbers

the NIN numbers will serve as a check against double voting and rigging

this will totally eliminate thuggery, ballot snatching, killings, reduce court cases . court cases will even be easier to decide without much complications
it will enhance good governance because the elected official will know that u will be voted out if u dont perform and the citizens will be the better for it
it will no longer be a game of who is the best killer and federal might

gfhg

DonFreshmoney:
And who would sign the bill...

Cowhari that didnt sign the electoral amendment bill will now sign this one.. which kind weed did this Senate smoke?

What if he does?

Why not 10year jail or 50m

Since the letter writer ex president declared that the Election is a do or die affair in 2011, Nigeria election has never been conducted peacefully.

Any law in the hands of a non- Democratic president is like a cobweb, it catches only small insects.

N1m fine or 3 years jail time. Very funny.