Edo 2024: These electoral offences will land you in prison

• The INEC is prepared to take the lead in conducting another off-cycle governorship election in Edo state on Saturday, September 21
• Nigerians need to be reminded of the electoral offences that can lead them to jail if violated
• The Edo voters and people would not be spared if these constitutional rules were not strictly adhered to during the poll

Like many other countries, Nigeria has laws to regulate electoral processes and prevent electoral offences. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to conduct the governorship election in Edo on Saturday, September 21.

As the people of Edo prepare for Saturday's governorship election, they should note that engaging in electoral offences can lead to severe consequences, including imprisonment.

Know the law: List of electoral offences as Edo people go out for the governorship election on Saturday Photo Credit: @inecnigeria
Source: Twitter

Here are some critical electoral offences in Nigeria:

1. Registration offence

Section 114 (a to f) of the Electoral Act lists electoral offences related to voter registration.

They include double registration, forgery of registration card, impersonation of the registration officer, and other offences that might lead to "a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both."

2. Nomination offences

Section 115 borders on electoral offences that might be perpetrated by any candidate concerning their nomination.

These offences spelt out stipulations that condemn the forgery of nomination papers or results, forgery of ballot papers, destruction of ballot papers, possession of ballot papers without authority and others.

As contained in the Electoral Act's statutory provision, such offences will attract a fine of "N50,000,000 or imprisonment for a term not less than ten years or both."

3. Violence at political meetings

Section 116 of the Nigerian Electoral Act stipulates that:

"Any person who, at a political meeting, acts or incites another to act in a disorderly manner for the purpose of preventing the transaction of the business for which the meeting was convened, or has in his possession an offensive weapon or missiles, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both."

4. Improper use of voter card

Section 117 of the Electoral Act condemns the improper use of voter cards.

The stipulation reads:

"Any person who(a) being entitled to a voters card, gives it to some other person for use at an election other than an officer appointed and acting in the course of his or her duty under this Act"(b) not being an officer acting in the course of his or her duty under this Act, receives any voters card in the name of some other person or persons for use at an election uses it fraudulently,"(c) without lawful excuse has in his possession more than one voters card, or"(d) buys, sells, procures or deals, with a voters card otherwise than as provided in this Act, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both."

5. Impersonation and voting when not qualified

Section 119 condemns any attempt by an individual not qualified to vote to impersonate the identity of another voter.

The statute also frowns at a qualified voter who had voted during an election and decided to impersonate another person to vote again in the same election.

Such offences attract a "fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both."

Other notable electoral offences include dereliction of duty (Section 120), bribery and conspiracy (Section 121), and requirement of secrecy in voting (Section 122).

Others include wrongful voting and false statements (Section 123), voting by an unregistered person (Section 124), disorderly conduct at elections (Section 125), offences on election day (Section 126), undue influence (Section 127), threatening (Section 128), and so on.

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Source: Legit.ng