The House of Representatives has passed a bill which seeks to establish an Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal in Nigeria, through third reading.
The Commission which is to be headed by a chairman who has held office as a Judge of a Superior Court of Record, not below the rank of a retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, shall establish offices in the 36 states of the Federation and FCT.
The Tribunal shall be considered as a Superior Court and shall have equal status with any High Court, and is to be headed by a President along with 17 Judges, who shall be appointed by the President, on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The bill also provides for stiff punishment for various political offences committed by individuals or political parties.
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Meanwhile, the bill provides for forfeiture of any fund or assets given to any political party, such party is guilty of an offence and in conviction, shall be liable to a fine of N500,000.
According to the provisions of the bill, every electoral offence shall be bailable for the purposes of the Criminal procedure, every person arrested may be released from custody on his executing a bond with sureties, as the officer of the Commission requires.
The bill also prohibits political parties from using slogans tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings; as well as the use of places designated for religious worship, police station and public offices for political campaigns, rallies and processions.
Anyone found culpable shall be liable to one-year imprisonment or a maximum fine of N1 million, while any person or group of persons who aids or abets a political party shall be liable to a fine of N500,000 or three years imprisonment.
The recommendations were contained in the 69-page report of the House Committee on Electoral and Political Matter, chaired by Aisha Dukku (APC-Gombe).
Speaking on the report, Dakku explained that the report was a product of several contributions from different organisations and professional bodies, such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and various political parties.
The committee of the Whole, chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Lasun Yusuf, passed the bill after several amendments were made by the members.
However, efforts by Ossai Nicholas Osai (PDP-Delta), to step down the consideration of the report to allow members ample time to scrutinise the document, was rebuffed by the Deputy Speaker, noting that members already had the document for more than four weeks.
