The House of Representatives on Thursday approved a 10-year jail term or a N75 million fine for anyone found guilty of forging nomination papers, result forms, or willfully defacing or destroying election-related documents.
The decision followed consideration of amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act, during which lawmakers increased the fine from the previous N50 million. The House also approved a N5 million fine for the improper use of a voter’s card.
However, lawmakers rejected a proposal to impose a two-year jail term on individuals who financially or materially induce delegates to influence party primaries, congresses, or conventions. Members argued that such a provision could be misused by political opponents to target candidates unfairly.
The House also deleted a provision that mandated the cancellation of votes and a fresh election in polling units where over-voting is established. Instead, it approved that excess votes be deducted from all candidates’ scores, while the presiding officer at the affected unit would face prosecution.
Addressing reporters after plenary, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balogun, said the Electoral Bill 2025 was originally intended to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and enact a new law.
He explained, “This approach aimed to build on the gains of recent elections and address emerging challenges within our electoral system. Guided by stakeholder engagements, public hearings, and expert submissions, the Committee initially proposed far-reaching reforms, including early voting, inmate voting, replacement of the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) with technology-driven accreditation mechanisms, adjustments to electoral timelines, and other innovations.
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“However, during deliberations by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, it became clear that many of these proposals lacked majority support across both Chambers and sufficient consensus among stakeholders.
“In legislative practice, a repeal and replacement is appropriate when the principal Act’s identity is fundamentally transformed. Since provisions such as early voting, inmate voting, and PVC replacement were not approved, the House, sitting as a Committee of the Whole, resolved to amend rather than repeal the Electoral Act 2022.
“This decision is not a setback for electoral reform. It reflects the maturity of our democracy and Parliament’s responsibility to legislate inclusively, balancing innovation with consensus. The amendments introduced consolidate the strengths of the 2022 Act, address observed gaps, and improve implementation without destabilising the existing legal framework.”
Balogun assured Nigerians that the House Committee on Electoral Matters conducted the process with transparency, engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, civil society, political parties, professional bodies, development partners, and citizens nationwide.
He added, “While some innovative proposals could not be accommodated at this stage, they remain part of our national discourse. As democracy evolves and wider consensus is achieved, these ideas can be revisited through future legislative intervention. The House remains committed to credible elections, democratic stability, and continuous improvement of Nigeria’s electoral laws, ensuring that every election is transparent, inclusive, secure, and reflective of the will of the people.”
