The House of Representatives has rejected a proposal to criminalise the inducement of voters during party primaries.
The lawmakers voted against the proposal on Thursday during
the clause-by-clause consideration of the report seeking an amendment to the
Electoral Act 2022.
A clause in the report proposed that anyone who financially
induces a delegate to sway the outcome of party primaries would face two years’
imprisonment, with no option of a fine.
Clause 89(4) of the amendment report states: “A person that
financially or materially induces a delegate for the purpose of influencing the
outcome of the party primaries, congresses and conventions commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to imprisonment of two years without an option of
fine”.
But legislators unanimously voted against it when Benjamin
Kalu, the presiding officer, called for a voice vote.
Inducement of delegates, in which aspirants often offer cash
or material benefits to influence votes at congresses and conventions, is a
recurring feature of party primaries in Nigeria.
The practice is primarily driven by the delegate-based
primary system, which concentrates power in the hands of a small group of party
members.
PENALTY FOR BALLOT OFFENCES
The lawmakers approved a separate provision imposing stiff
penalties for offences related to ballot papers and election materials.
Under the approved clause, a person who, without proper
authority, prints a ballot paper or any item capable of being used as a ballot
paper or result form, or prints more than the number authorised by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), or is found in possession of
a ballot paper or result form without being in the process of voting while the
election is still ongoing, commits an offence.
Additionally, anyone who manufactures, constructs, imports,
possesses, supplies to an election official, or uses for an election any ballot
box or related appliance that allows a ballot paper or result form to be
secretly placed, diverted, or manipulated, is liable on conviction to a maximum
fine of N75 million, imprisonment for a term not less than 10 years, or both.
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