The Senate has passed a bill seeking to establish the Electoral Offences Commission.

This came after it considered the report by the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chaired by Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano).

Gaya, in his presentation, said establishing the Electoral Offences Commission is much needed because INEC has found it difficult to prosecute electoral offenders in accordance with the provisions of sections 149 and 150(2) of the Electoral Act (as amended).

The Senate in Clause 12 of the bill approved at least five years jail term or a fine of at least N10 million or both, for any officer or executive of any association or political party that engaged in electoral fraud that contravened the provisions of clauses 221, 225(1)(2)(3) and (4) and 227 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

It approved that a political party’s candidate or agent who damages or snatches ballot boxes, ballot papers or election materials before, during or after an election without the permission of the election official in charge of the polling station attracts at least 20 years imprisonment or a fine of at least N40 million.

It also adopted the committee’s recommendation of 15 years imprisonment for any person involved in ballot box snatching, supplying voter’s card to persons without due authorisation, unauthorised printing of voters’ register, illegal printing of ballot paper or electoral document among others.

It also approved a 10 years jail term for any person who sells a voter’s card, or is in possession of any voter’s card bearing the name of another person.

The upper chamber, in Clause 20(2), approved at least 15 years jail term for any judicial officer or a court or tribunal that corruptly perverts electoral justice, during or after an election and at least, 15 years jail term or N30 million fine for any security personnel or election official engaged by INEC who attempts to influence the outcome of an election among others.


https://www.nigeriainfo.fm/news/national/senate-approves-20-year-jail-term-for-ballot-box-snatchers/?fbclid=IwAR1A51aEYXirSqQ1_89684Izex4kqial2CAimYlpaYNeht-ZFgfHftYzvLQ

What about candidates that kidnapped inec comunissioner on gun point to declare him winner?

How many years for their sponsors



The law is for the poor, obviously.

What happen to the person that sent him. He should be disqualified and sent to jail too

Antoeni:
What happen to the person that sent him. He should be disqualified and sent to jail too

Only a fool will risk 20yrs for a politician, this law alone should discourage anyone intending to snatch ballot box but, na Naija we dey

And the politicians dat sends them,will be walking freely.

Youths una done hear am?
Make una mess dem up bigtime,by allowing dem snatch the boxes by drm sef.

tamdun:

Only a fool will risk 20yrs for a politician, this law alone should discourage anyone intending to snatch ballot box but, na Naija we dey

This is Nigeria, forget that foolishness part.

Same people that could risk gun, cutlass and death to snatch ballot box won’t risk any jail term?

You think if they are arrested, these same politicians won’t facilitate their release for the next and following election?

Nigerian society isn’t viewed through the binocular of sanity.

And how many ballot box snatchers has been arrested or tried in the past for electoral offenses ?

In the country called Nigeria they only make law, they don't enforce it.

Simply put the logic is, arrest the ballot box snatcher oga at the top will make a call for his release. That's all!

Rada rada!

Who will enforce the law?

The law is good if it can be implemented, but naija is very unique place

This Kabiru Gaya has earned my respect.

From dropping Lauretta Onochie to these series of jail term for electoral offenders, seems the man is sincere and unbiased.

Even as there might be lopsidedness in applying the law but it will go a long way to reducing a lot of these electoral malpractices.

Good one Gaya!

Funny enough...na dem go still bail the thugs abi snatchers through backdoors.

Wayo people