Reps vote down bill to criminalise vote-buying at party primaries
The House of Representatives has rejected a proposal seeking to criminalise the inducement of delegates during party primaries.
The decision was taken on Thursday during a clause-by-clause consideration of a report proposing amendments to the Electoral Act 2022.
Under the rejected provision, any individual found to have financially or materially induced a delegate to influence the outcome of party primaries, congresses or conventions would have faced a two-year jail term without the option of a fine.
Clause 89(4) of the amendment report stated that such inducement constituted an offence punishable by imprisonment upon conviction. However, the lawmakers unanimously voted against the clause after Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, called for a voice vote.
Vote inducement at party primaries where aspirants allegedly offer cash or other benefits to delegates to secure support has long been criticised as a recurring practice in Nigeria’s political process.
Analysts often link the problem to the delegate-based primary system, which places significant decision-making power in the hands of a limited number of party members.
Despite rejecting the clause on delegate inducement, the House approved another provision introducing tougher penalties for offences involving ballot papers and election materials.
The approved clause criminalises the unauthorised printing of ballot papers or related materials, printing more than the quantity approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), or possession of ballot papers or result forms outside the voting process while an election is ongoing.
It also imposes sanctions on anyone who manufactures, imports, possesses, supplies, or uses ballot boxes or related devices designed to enable the secret placement, diversion or manipulation of ballot papers or result forms.
Offenders under the provision face a fine of up to N75 million, a minimum prison term of 10 years, or both.
