Ahead of the 2023 poll, some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have called for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
The Senate yesterday passed a bill seeking to establish the Electoral Offences Commission.
This followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chaired by Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano).
Gaya, in his presentation, said establishing the Electoral Offences Commission has become imperative in view of INEC’s inability to prosecute electoral offenders in accordance with the provisions of sections 149 and 150(2) of the Electoral Act (as amended).
The Senate in Clause 12 of the bill approved at least five years jail term or a fine of at least N10 million or both, for any officer or executive of any association or political party that engaged in electoral fraud that contravened the provisions of clauses 221, 225(1)(2)(3) and (4) and 227 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
This is because of the far-reaching impact the bill, if assented to, would have on the country’s electoral process and democratic system.
The bill was passed by the 8th National Assembly, but President Muhammadu Buhari declined to assent to it.
Buhari had said he could not assent to the bill because the time it was passed by the National Assembly was too close to the 2019 general elections and as such, the implementation of the provisions of the proposed amendments to the Act could be problematic.
Again, the current 9th National Assembly re-introduced the bill when it came on board and it is now on the verge of being passed.
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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on Wednesday said the government will bring a resolution in the state Assembly asking the Union government to withdraw the three farm laws. The three farm laws brought in by the government are Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. In a statement issued here Stalin recalled his party DMK s poll promise of passing a resolution asking the Union government to withdraw the three farm laws and pass necessary law for that. Stalin said six months has passed since the farmers are agitating against the three farm laws passed by the Union government.