Electoral offences that may get you into bother on election day

As residents, you’re anticipated to carry out your civic duties with out breaching the legal guidelines that information the electoral course of.

Any conduct that quantities to the breach of those legal guidelines is deemed an electoral offence and is punishable below the Structure or the Electoral Act.

Whether or not you’re a candidate or a voter, there are some conducts that may get you into bother on election day.

As prescribed by the legislation, under are the electoral offences you need to keep away from.

a. Illegal possession of a poll paper.

b. Unlawful printing of poll papers.

c. Unlawful manufacturing or importation of poll containers.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N50 million or a time period of imprisonment of not lower than 10 years or each.

Offence: Illegal giving of a voter’s card to another particular person to be used at an election aside from an officer appointed to take action; being in possession of multiple voter’s playing cards.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N1 million or imprisonment for 12 months or each.

Offence: An individual voting or making an attempt to vote when he/she isn’t certified, or inducing an individual to vote at an election realizing that such particular person isn’t certified.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or each.

Offence: A polling officer failing to report on time or to discharge his/her duties on an election day with out lawful excuse.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or each.

Offence: Declares or publishes a false election outcome.

Penalty: 36 months imprisonment.

Offence: Returning officer or collation officer or particular person delivering a false certificates of return.

Penalty: Three years imprisonment with out an choice of tremendous.

a. Paying a bribe to have an effect on the results of an election.

b. Receiving any cash or reward to vote or chorus from voting at any election.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N500,000 or imprisonment for 12 months or each.

a. Not sustaining the secrecy of voting at a polling unit.

b. Interfering with a voter casting their vote.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N100,000 or imprisonment for a time period of six months or each.

a. Unlawful voting at an election.

b. Publishing any assertion of the withdrawal of a candidate or about their private character.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N100,000 or imprisonment for a time period of six months or each.

Offence: To deliver right into a polling unit a voter’s card issued to a different particular person.

Penalty: A tremendous of N100,000 or imprisonment for a time period of six months or each.

Offence: Inciting others to behave in a disorderly method.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N500,000 or imprisonment for a time period of 12 months or each.

Offences: Inside a distance of 300 metres of a polling unit:

a. Canvassing for votes, persuading any voter to not vote for any specific candidate or being in possession of any offensive weapon, carrying or displaying any discover, image, {photograph} or get together card.

b. Utilizing any car bearing the color or image of a political get together, loitering round a polling unit blaring siren.

Penalty: A tremendous of N100,000 or imprisonment for a time period of six months.

Offence: Snatching or destruction of any election materials.

Penalty: 24 months imprisonment.

Offence: Accepting cash or some other inducement throughout an election.

Penalty: A tremendous of N100,000 or imprisonment for a time period of 12 months or each.

a. Threatening an individual with violence or harm to compel that particular person to vote or chorus from voting.

Penalty: A tremendous of N1 million or imprisonment for a time period of three years.

Offence: Illegal possession of a weapon at a political rally or voting centre.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N2 million or imprisonment for a time period of two years or each.

Offence: Threatening any particular person with violence throughout any political marketing campaign.

Penalty: Within the case of a person, a most tremendous of N1 million or imprisonment for a time period of 12 months. Within the case of a political get together, a tremendous of N2 million within the first occasion, and N500,000 for any subsequent offences.

Offence: A political get together, promoting in a newspaper, radio or TV lower than 24 hours earlier than polling day.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N500,000.

Offence: Broadcasting or publishing any materials to advertise or oppose a specific political get together or a candidate throughout 24 hours instantly previous or on polling day.

Penalty: A most tremendous of N500,000 or imprisonment for a time period of 12 months; and in case of a physique, company shall pay a most tremendous of N1 million.