The Senate on Wednesday introduced a bill seeking to establish the Electoral Offences Commission in the country.
The bill, titled, “Electoral Offences Commission (Establishment) Bill”, 2019 passed second reading at Wednesday’s plenary session.
The bill sponsored by Abubakar Kyari, senator representing Borno North, was introduced a day after the senators lamented the violence and irregularities that have continued to mar Nigeria’s elections.
Instances were drawn from the just-concluded elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states that witnessed widespread violence and intimidation of voters and electoral officials.
The current constitution of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not empower it to prosecute electoral offenders.
Even the electoral commission has at various times expressed frustration at its inability to handle such cases.
If passed into law, the legislation will help unbundle the commission as well as help in speedy prosecution of electoral offences.
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