A Bill to establish the National Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal, on Thursday, passed the second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, which has seven parts and 48 sections, sought to take the “burden” of prosecuting electoral offenders off the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The bill which was merged with four others was sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, Aishatu Duku.
It was stated in the bill that it was unrealistic for INEC to conduct free, fair and credible elections and simultaneously prosecute offences arising from the same elections.
The Electoral Reform Committee headed by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Uwais, had in 2007 recommended the establishment of a special prosecution body to be known as the Electoral Offences Commission.
This is to work independently in the arraignment and prosecution of electoral offenders.
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The bill is to provide the legal framework for the investigation and prosecution of electoral offences for the general improvement of the electoral process in Nigeria.
The Senate had in July 2021 passed a similar bill.
The bill passed by the upper chamber prescribes a 20-year jail term for offenders found guilty of snatching ballot boxes during elections.
(NAN)
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