Just twenty-four hours to the 2015 general elections, the Nigerian Police has made public some of the acts which constitute electoral offence in Nigeria.
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| The symbol the Nigerian power |
For the benefit of orientative reporting (which is what this blog majors), election is said to be a process in which people vote to choose a person to hold an official position. And in Nigeria this process has been slated for Saturday, March 28th 2015 for the electorate (electorate is the number of persons in a given state or community that is qualified and has the right to vote in any given election) to decide who the president of the country will be and who will represent them in the two chambers of the National Parliament.
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| Nigeria goes to the polls |
While on April 11th, they (the Nigerian Electorate) will another opportunity to decide on who will be the governor of each of the 36 states that make up the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They shall also decide on who will represent them from their local constituencies in their various states' parliaments.
With election defined, election offence therefore, could be said to be any act that breaks the laws guiding the electoral process. These acts are crimes and as such liable to punishment. The punishment varies in light of the offence committed and below I have put together below some of the electoral offences and also the punishments.
1. A person who is in possession of more than one
valid voter’s card.
He is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of
100,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both.
2. A person who applies for ballot paper in the
name of some other person whether living or
dead i.e. impersonation.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 500,000.00
or 12 months imprisonment or both.
3. A person who votes more than once in an
election.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 500,000.00
or 12 months imprisonment or both.
4. A person who forges any ballot paper or official
mark on any ballot paper or any certificate of
return or result form.
He is liable on conviction to 2 years
imprisonment.
5. A person who willfully places in any ballot box
any unauthorized paper or result
He is liable on conviction to 2 years
imprisonment.
6. A person who gives voters money to vote for or
refrain from voting for a candidate.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 100,000.00
0r 12 months imprisonment or both.
7. A person who within the vicinity of polling unit
or collation centre on election day:
*convenes public meeting.
* makes unauthorized official announcements;
*wears or carry any badge, poster, banner, flag
or symbol relating to a political party or election.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 100,000.00
or 6 months imprisonment for every such
offence.
8. A person who acts or incites others to act in a
disorderly manner on election day.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 500,000.00
or 12 months imprisonment or both.
9. A person who communicates at any time to
another person, information obtained in a polling
unit as to the candidate to whom a voter is
about to vote or has voted for i.e. violation of the secrecy of vote.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 100,000.00
or 6 months imprisonment or both.
10. A person who knowingly votes or attempts to
vote in a constituency in which he did not
register.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 100,000.00
or 6 months imprisonment or both.
11. A person who snatches or destroys election
materials.
He is liable on conviction to 24 months
imprisonment.
12. A. person who commits an offence of bribery or
aids, conspires or abets any other person to
commit bribery.
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 500,000.00
or 12 months imprisonment or both.
13. A person who on election day does any of the
following acts:
*canvasses for votes
*solicits for the vote of any other voter.
*persuades any voter not to vote for any
particular candidate.
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| conduct yourself at polling booths in a democratic manner |
*be in possession of any offensive weapon or
wears any dress or facial decoration to
He is liable on conviction to a fine of 100,000.00
or 6 months imprisonment for every such
offence.intimidate other voters.
*exhibits, wears or tenders any notice, symbol,
photography or party card referring to the
election.
*use of any vehicle bearing the color or symbol
of a particular party.
*Loiter without lawful excuse after voting or
being refused to vote.
*use of sirens.
Information they say is power. Now, you are better informed than you were few minutes ago. But, don't just allow this information to benefit you alone. Share this post with your friends so they can also know what constitute an offence during elections.
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