HOR Approves Tougher Penalties in Electoral Act Amendments

The House of Representatives has approved a penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦75 million for any individual found guilty of forging nomination documents or election result forms, as well as for the willful defacement or destruction of election-related materials.

The resolution followed the House’s consideration of proposed amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, during which lawmakers endorsed an increase in the fine from the previous ₦50 million.

However, the House declined a proposal seeking to impose a two-year jail term on persons who financially or materially induce delegates during party primaries, congresses, or conventions. Lawmakers argued that such a provision could be abused by political opponents to witch-hunt candidates.

Speaking to journalists after the plenary session, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balogun, explained that the Electoral Bill 2025 was initially presented as a bill to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and replace it with a new Electoral Act for Nigeria.

Balogun noted that while the proposals were designed to consolidate recent electoral gains and tackle emerging challenges, they failed to attract wide support among lawmakers. This, he said, informed the decision to pursue amendments to the existing law rather than a complete repeal.

The Committee reiterated its commitment to promoting credible, transparent, and inclusive elections, adding that more comprehensive reforms could be considered as Nigeria’s democratic process continues to evolve.