The House of Representatives moved to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral legal framework by amending key provisions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill during a detailed clause-by-clause review.
The changes aimed to bolster the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), clarify electoral procedures, and close gaps exposed in recent elections.
The Lawmakers approved significant reforms including giving the Federal High Court exclusive jurisdiction over pre-election disputes to curb forum shopping.
They also endorsed tougher penalties for electoral offences, for example, up to 10 years’ jail for returning officers who announce results without proper documentation and expanded INEC’s authority over election logistics and personnel deployment.
Additional amendments target voter registration integrity, party primaries, and use of technology in voting.
The House also approved penalties for Resident Electoral Commissioners who failed to release certified results, but deferred consideration of Section 51 of the bill to a later session as the process continues.
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