₦airaland Forum

KUDOS FOR ELECTORAL OFFENCES COMMISSION...
(Vanguard Editorial - 1st August, 2021)
..
..
The Senate passed the “National Electoral Offences Bill 2021” on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.

The move to establish the Electoral Offences Commission is one of the redeeming features of the ongoing attempt to reform elections in Nigeria.

Our bicameral parliament is expected to agree on the relevant provisions of the Bill and forward it to President Muhammadu Buhari for possible approval.
We join millions of well-meaning Nigerians to eagerly await the signing into law of this legislation.

For too long, electoral criminals have gotten away with their crimes against our democracy.
Because the politicians are the biggest beneficiaries of electoral malfeasance, efforts to put a check on it have been half-hearted at best.

The 1999 Constitution (as Amended) vests both regulatory and operational electoral powers on INEC.
Time and experience, especially in the past 22 years, have proved that INEC is simply not in a position to pursue and prosecute electoral criminals.

According to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, Kabiru Gaya, the Commission was not even able to prosecute one per cent of the 870,000 and 900,000 electoral offenders apprehended after the 2015 and 2019 general elections respectively.

Because there was no deterrence in 2015, the number of offenders jumped further up in 2019.
It will be worse going forward if nothing is done now.

We have been strong advocates for the unbundling of INEC and the establishment of a special mechanism outside the routine functions of the Commission to pursue and bring offenders to book.

Elections, being the means by which the citizenry hands over the state mandates to politicians, should not be left without punishment for those who seek to tamper with the people’s sacred power to choose through ballot snatching, figures falsification, armed violence, ballot box stuffing, vote buying and the harassment of poll workers and the electorate.

The Commission should be to electoral fraud what the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is to corruption.
It should arrest and prosecute electoral offenders and their sponsors, investigate electoral fraud, and ensure that those who obtain our mandate through false pretences or violence are made pay.

With such a Commission in place, the number of electoral offences will automatically plummet, especially if its operatives are allowed by politicians to do their jobs.
Our democracy will be the better for it, and good quality leadership materials who currently think politics is “too dirty” will be encouraged to vie and serve.

In addition to the Commission, we also advocate for a special court for electoral offenders.
This will help in speeding up trials and giving justice to those who deserve it.
The creation of a special court is the necessary next step.

This is an unfinished business.
..
Source:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/kudos-for-electoral-offences-commission/amp/

REPS SEEK TO STRIP POLICE, DSS, OTHERS POWERS TO PROSECUTE ELECTORAL OFFENDERS...
…Want special commission to handle offences.
(12th October, 2021)
..
The House of Representatives will, in a few days, consider a proposed law to set up a Special Commission to prosecute electoral offences arising from next elections.

The bill exclusively obtained by Vanguard, is entitled “Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal Bill, 2021”.

The bill, sponsored by Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Rivers), in a proposed Part-3, states in part that “The Commission shall investigate, enforce and prosecute all electoral malpractices and electoral offences created under the Constitution, Electoral Act, and any other law....

“Advice the electoral entities of any change in practices, systems or procedures compatible with the effective discharge of the duties of electoral entities as the commission thinks fit to reduce the likelihood or incidence of electoral and related offences; adopt measures to identify, trace and prosecute thuggery, electoral fraud, political terrorism and related offences.”

The amendment also seeks to “adopt measures to prevent and eradicate the commission of electoral malpractices, including coordination, preventive and regulatory actions, introduction of investigative and control techniques, and the collaboration with election observers within and outside Nigeria.”

The bill equally seeks to “facilitate the exchange of scientific and technical information with other democracies in the conduct of joint operations and training geared towards the eradication of electoral fraud and malpractices; inform and educate the public on matters related to electoral and related offences and carry out such other activities as are necessary or expedient for the full discharge of all or any of the functions conferred on it under this Act or conferred upon it by an Act of the National Assembly.”

It also states that “the Commission, shall have powers to investigate and prosecute any person suspected to have conspired to commit or has attempted to commit or has committed an electoral offence or an offence under Constitution, this Act, the Electoral Act, or any other law”

The piece of legislation seeks to “examine the practices, systems and procedures of any electoral entity and where, in the opinion of the Constitution, such practices, systems or procedures aid or facilitate electoral offences, to advice on ways by which electoral offences may be eliminated or minimized by such entity.”

A new Electoral Act, currently before the National Assembly, seeks far-reaching reforms of the electoral system in the country.

The House resumes plenary Tuesday, to continue deliberations on key amendments for a new Electoral Order.
..
..
Source:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/10/2023-reps-seek-to-strip-police-dss-others-powers-to-prosecute-electoral-offenders/amp/

Offence:
Returning Officer or Collation Officer or person delivering a false certificate of return

Penalty:
3 years imprisonment without an option of fine.

..
..
..
Offence:
A Polling Officer failing to report on time or to discharge his duties on an election day without lawful excuse.

Penalty:
On conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both.
..
..
..
Offence:
Being in possession of more than one voters card.

Penalty:
A maximum fine of N1,000,000 or for a term of imprisonment of not less than 12 years or both.
..
..
..
Offence:
Unlawful possession of a ballot paper

Penalty:
A maximum fine of N50,000,000 or for a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years or both.
..
..
..
Offence:
A person voting or attempting to vote at an election when he/she is not qualified, or inducing person to vote at an election knowing that such person is not qualified.

Penalty:
A maximum Fine of N500,000 or 12 Months Imprisonment or both.

Staypositive:
Ma gee
It is well....


Every year they go tell people say make dem go vote another useless person in the government...

My question is wetting this idiots wey people dey vote dey do in government abi dem just dey there to make noise use people catch cruise, collect government money and move...

Na question I ask.....

BluntCrazeMan:
Lalasticlala,
Seun

Shedrack777:
e get offence wey i see for there wey be say the senate no think well before them write am. how can you inprison an underaged voter?

kayusely70:
But has the president signed the bill?

BluntCrazeMan:

..
I been don dey find this thing wey you type here,, I no come see am.
..
..
Please, which section/subsection of the Electoral Act specified any form of imprisonment for underaged voters??
(Please mention it, so I can go back and cross-check it by myself).

BluntCrazeMan:
The House Of Reps are the ones currently working on it at the moment.
They hope to get it signed into law and be ready for implementation before the 2023 General Elections.

BluntCrazeMan:

..
I been don dey find this thing wey you type here,, I no come see am.
..
..
Please, which section/subsection of the Electoral Act specified any form of imprisonment for underaged voters??
(Please mention it, so I can go back and cross-check it by myself).

Shedrack777:
how can you vote in an election where you're not qualified? unless you're underage

BluntCrazeMan:
If you are not registered to vote in any particular Polling-unit, you're not qualified to vote in that Polling-unit.
..
For instance, anybody who is registered in a Polling-unit in Lagos is not qualified to vote in this upcoming Anambra Governorship Election.
..
There are many other grounds of non-qualification.
For instance, if you come to vote with a Temporary Voter's Card instead of a PVC, you're not qualified.
..
If your PVC is not Authentic, you're not qualified.
..
And most recently,, if the BVAS device didn't authenticate that you are the true owner of the PVC, even if the device accepted that the PVC is Authentic in itself, then, you yourself, you are not qualified to vote.