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Warning! You’ll Go to Jail If You Commit Any of These Offences on Election Day

Published

3 years ago

February 23, 2023

Eric

As Nigerians head to the polls for the 2023 general elections to elect leaders in various capacities across the country, certain rules have been laid down for which offenders are liable to penalties ranging from fine, jail terms or both.

Against this background, it’s critical that the electorate get to intimately understand the laws and what constitutes as electoral offences and how to avoid all that before, during and after the elections.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, anyone in breach of any of these provisions is liable to being arrested and charged to court and prosecuted by INEC after investigation by the relevant Security Agencies.

The offences and corresponding penalties are contained in the Commission’s Electoral Offences and Penalties published in February 2019.

These are some of the electoral offences prescribed by Nigerian Law as of December 31, 2018.

Voter Registration

OFFENCE: Registering more than once, unlawful possession of a voter’s card, selling or buying of voters card

PENALTY: A fine not exceeding N100,000 or imprisonment for one year or both

OFFENCE: Giving false information in any application for registration as a voter

PENALTY: A fine not exceeding N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both

OFFENCE: Hindering another person from registering as a voter

PENALTY: A fine not exceeding N500,000 or 5 years imprisonment or both.

OFFENCE: Impersonating a registration official, carrying out registration of persons illegally or forging a registration card

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N1,000,000 or 12 months imprisonment or to both.

Nomination

OFFENCES:

(a) Forging a nomination paper or result form;

(b) Wilfully defacing or destroying a nomination paper or result form;

(d) Signs a nomination paper or result form as a candidate in more than one constituency at the same election

PENALTY: Person who commits an offence under subsection (1) of this section is liable on conviction to a maximum term of imprisonment for 2 years.

Ballot Papers and Ballot Boxes

OFFENCES:

a. Unlawful possession of a ballot paper

b. Illegal printing of ballot papers

c. Illegal production or importation of ballot boxes.

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N50,000,000 or for a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years or both.

Disorderly Behaviour at Political Meetings

OFFENCE: To act in a disorderly manner or be in possession of offensive weapon of a political meeting

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for 12 months or both

Improper Use of Voter Card

OFFENCE: Unlawful giving of a voter’s card to some other person for use at an election other than, an officer appointed to do so; being in possession of more than one voters cards

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PENALTY: A maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for 12 months or both

Improper Use of Vehicles

OFFENCE: Conveying any person to a registration office or to a polling unit by government vehicle or boat, except in respect of a person who is entitled to use such vehicle or boat

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000.00 or imprisonment for six months or both

Impersonation and Voting when not Qualified

OFFENCE: A person voting or attempting to vote at an election when he/she is not qualified, or inducing a person to vote at an election knowing that such person is not qualified.

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both.

Dereliction of Duty/ False result

OFFENCE: A Polling Officer failing to report on time or to discharge his duties on an election day without lawful excuse

PENALTY: On conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both.

OFFENCE: Announces or publishing a false election result

PENALTY: 36 months imprisonment.

Announcing or Publishing A False Election Result

OFFENCE: Returning Officer or Collation Officer or person delivering a false certificate of return.

PENALTY: 3 years imprisonment without an option of fine.

Bribery and Conspiracy: Vote Buying

OFFENCES

a. Paying money to any other person for bribery at any election. On conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both.

b. Receiving any money or gift, for voting or to refrain from voting at any election.

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for 12 months or both

Requirement of Secrecy in Voting

OFFENCES:

a. Not maintaining the secrecy of voting at a polling unit.

b. Interfering with a voter casting his vote

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N100,000 or to imprisonment for a term of 6 months or both.

Wrongful Voting and False Statements

OFFENCES:

a. Illegal voting at an election

b. Publishing any statement of the withdrawal of a candidate or about his personal character.

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of 6 months or both.

Voting by Unregistered Persons

OFFENCE: To bring into a polling unit during an election a voter’s card issued to another person

PENALTY: A fine of N100,000 or to imprisonment for a term of 6 months or both.

Disorderly Conducts at Elections

OFFENCE: Inciting others to act in a disorderly manner

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.

OFFENCES:

Within a distance of 300 meters of a polling unit

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a. Canvassing for votes, persuading any voter not to vote for any particular candidate or being in possession of any offensive weapon, wear or display any notice, symbol, photograph or party card

b. Using any vehicle bearing the colour or symbol of a political, loitering around a polling unit blaring siren.

PENALTY: A fine of N 100,000 or imprisonment for a term of 6 months.

OFFENCE: Snatching or destruction of any election material

PENALTY: 24 months imprisonment.

Undue Influence

OFFENCE: Accepting money or any other inducement during an election.

PENALTY: A fine of N 100,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.

Threatening

OFFENCES:

a. Threatening a person with violence or injury to compel that person to vote or refrain from voting

b. Preventing any political aspirant from free use of the media vehicles, mobilization of political support and campaign at an election;

PENALTY: A fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 3 years.

Campaign and Campaign Finance

OFFENCE: Unlawful possession of a weapon at a political rally or voting centre

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N2,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 2 years or both.

OFFENCE: Threatening any person with violence during any political campaign

PENALTY: In the case of an individual, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months. In case of a political party, a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N500,000 for any subsequent offence.

OFFENCES:

Campaigning in public earlier than 90 days before polling day or ending it less than 24 hours to the election.

A political party, advertising in a newspaper , radio or TV less than 24 hours before polling day

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000

OFFENCES:

Employing State apparatus including the media to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.

Unequal allocation of Media time among political parties or candidates

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000 in the first instance and to a maximum fine of N1,000,000.00 for subsequent conviction.

OFFENCE: Broadcasting or publishing any material for the purpose of promoting or opposing a particular political party or a candidate during 24 hours immediately preceding or on polling day.

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000 or to imprisonment for a term of 12 months and in case of a body corporate shall pay a maximum fine of N1,000,000

Offences relating to finances of a political party

OFFENCE: A Political Party possessing any fund outside or retaining funds or other asset remitted to it from outside Nigeria

PENALTY: Forfeiture of the funds or assets to the Commission and in addition may be liable to a fine of not less than N500,000.

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Limitations on Election Expenses and Contribution to a Political Party

OFFENCE: A Presidential Candidate incurring more than N1,000,000,000 as election expenses.

PENALTY: Presidential election, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both

OFFENCE: A Governorship candidate incurring more than N200,000,000

PENALTY: Governorship election to a fine of N800.000 or imprisonment for a term of 9 months or both

OFFENCE: A Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates exceeding N40,000,000 and N20,000,000 respectively.

PENALTY: Senatorial election to a fine of N600,000 or imprisonment for a term of 6 months or both House of Representatives election to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 5 months or both;

OFFENCE: A candidate for State Assembly election spending more than N10,000,000.

PENALTY: State House of Assembly election to a fine of N300,000 or imprisonment for a term of 3 months or both;

OFFENCE: A candidate for Chairmanship of an Area Council incurring more than ten million naira N10,000,000

PENALTY: In the case of Chairmanship election, to a fine of N300,000 or imprisonment for a term of 3 months or both

OFFENCE: In the case of Councillorship election to an Area Council, exceeding more than the maximum of election expenses of one million naira N1,000,000

PENALTY: Councillorship election, to a fine of N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of one month or both

OFFENCE: An individual or other entity donating more than N1,000,000 to any candidate.

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 9 months or both.

OFFENCES:

Aiding a candidate to forge or falsify a document relating to his expenditure at an election Imprisonment for a term of 10 years.

Refusal by a political party to submit its election expenses to INEC in a separate audited return within 6 months after an election

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N1,000,000 and in the case of failure to submit an accurate audited return within the stipulated period, the court may impose a maximum penalty of N200,000 per day on any party for the period after the return was due until it is submitted to the Commission.

OFFENCE: A political party shall not incur election expenses beyond the limit stipulated in this Act. A political party which contravenes this subsection commits an offence and is liable on conviction.

PENALTY: A maximum fine of N1,000,000 and forfeiture to the Commission of the amount by which the expenses exceed the limit set by the Commission.

Featured

Sowore ‘Slumps’ Amid Police Teargas During Abuja Protest

Published

19 hours ago

June 12, 2026

Eric

There was panic on Friday after human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, collapsed following a confrontation with the police during a Democracy Day protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.

Reports said that Sowore collapsed after police operatives moved to disperse protesters gathered to demonstrate against insecurity, economic hardship and bad governance.

The demonstrators were dispersed after security personnel fired teargas canisters at the protesters in an apparent attempt to break up the gathering.

Following the incident, Sowore has reportedly been taken to an undisclosed hospital for further examination and treatment.

Featured

Global Stage, Local Heart: Davido Champions Justice for Kidnapped Oyo Schoolchildren at FIFA Concert

Published

1 day ago

June 12, 2026

Eric

By Shakirat Akintola

He may be selling out arenas worldwide and headlining some of the biggest global stages, but Afrobeats megastar Davido proved this week that his heart remains firmly with the people of Nigeria.

On Wednesday night, during his highly anticipated performance at the official FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert in Los Angeles, the “Unavailable” crooner turned a massive moment of global celebration into a powerful, intentional act of advocacy.

Walking onto the Crypto.com Arena stage, the international icon chose not to wear high-end luxury fashion, but rather a custom black leather jacket designed to honor the 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers violently abducted from the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
A Global Icon Who Refuses to Forget His Roots

For an artist operating at Davido’s level, navigating massive global brands like FIFA usually comes with strict, highly sanitized corporate boundaries. Yet, the singer intentionally used his massive platform to ensure that the tragedy unfolding back home would not be swept under the rug by international media.

Backstage and throughout his high-energy performance of hits like “Fall,” the singer made sure his wardrobe spoke volumes. The front of his jacket was adorned with green circular buttons, each bearing the individual name of a student or teacher taken from the Ahoro-Esinele community in May.

In a heartbreaking and meticulously planned detail, the names of those still held in captivity were written in white, while the names of the victims who have tragically already died during the ordeal were highlighted in stark red. Across the back of the jacket, the message was clear and unmissable to the millions watching worldwide: “BRING THEM HOME.”

“We Represent Everywhere We Go”
Speaking moments before he climbed the stage alongside international electronic group Major Lazer, Davido was visibly carrying the weight of the situation, showing that his global success hasn’t detached him from the realities facing everyday Nigerians.

“Peace and love everywhere. May God be with the families of the abducted and the ones who have been killed,” Davido said in an emotional backstage address. “They still haven’t been rescued, we’re praying to God every day. We’re also praying to God that the government hastens… My country is going through a lot. We represent everywhere we go.”

This isn’t a passive, one-off gesture for the singer. Despite a grueling international schedule ahead of the 2026 World Cup—where he is prominently featured on the tournament’s official soundtrack album—Davido has consistently used his massive social media presence to demand immediate, decisive action from both federal and state authorities.

Amplifying the Cry for Help

By bringing the Oriire local tragedy to one of the premier entertainment capitals of the world, Davido has forcefully inserted Nigeria’s security challenges into the global conversation.

Back home, the crisis remains critical. The ongoing hostage situation has already sparked a total shutdown of public schools in Oyo State, with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) declaring an indefinite strike until their colleagues and students are safely returned.

In a landscape where international superstars are often criticized for becoming disconnected from local struggles, Davido’s bold FIFA showcase serves as a stark reminder of what true cultural ambassadorship looks like. He didn’t just perform for the world; he made the world look at the faces and names of the people who need them most.

Featured

Statement on the State of the Nation by Some Concerned Nigerians

Published

4 days ago

June 9, 2026

Eric

We are a group of concerned Nigerians, alarmed at increasing threats to the Nigerian Nation and desirous of sharing our concerns with fellow citizens.

Our assessment of the state of the Nation reveals that Nigeria stands at a dangerous crossroads where rising insecurity, an alarming level of electoral manipulation by government, and the weakening of democratic institutions are converging into a national crisis that threatens the country’s survival.

Nigeria faces a grave threat to its foundational constitutional principle of the separation of powers. Checks and balances between the branches of government have been imperilled.

The legislative branch has been placed under near total control of the executive branch. The judiciary appears to have lost both its independence and its integrity. There are no checks on the powers of the executive who now govern as they please without accountability or respect for the people’s concerns.

Institutions have been compromised, weakened, and subordinated to the interests of the executive arm of government. This erosion of institutional independence has fuelled public distrust to its highest level in our history creating a crisis of political exclusion and impunity that is pushing violent extremism, organized crime, and communal conflict to a tipping point.

To reverse this trajectory, Nigeria must urgently recommit to democratic accountability, judicial independence, and institutional reforms that strengthen the rule of law. The electoral processes must be transparent, credible, and insulated from executive interference.

The crisis in Nigeria cannot be separated from the broader instability engulfing the Sahel region. The spread of terrorism, arms trafficking, unconstitutional changes of government, and porous borders across countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger continue to intensify insecurity in Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin. The collapse of regional cooperation and democratic governance in parts of the Sahel further emboldens armed groups, weakens state authority, and undermines civilian protection across West Africa.

Regional security cooperation between Nigeria and Sahelian states should be revitalized by establishing strong bilateral and multilateral platforms for intelligence sharing, border governance, and community-based peacebuilding initiatives.

Equally important is investing in youth employment, education, social protection, and local conflict resolution mechanisms to address the root causes of radicalization and insecurity.

Recommendations

1. Government should as a matter of urgency recognise that insecurity in the Sahel fuels the Nigerian crisis and that rapprochement between AES (Alliance of Sahel States) and ECOWAS is an important element in Nigeria’s national interest.

2. Government should immediately appoint a high-level Special Envoy for the Sahel to begin the urgent task of rebuilding trust between Nigeria, the AES and ECOWAS while revamping regional mechanisms for peace and security.

3. Civil society organisations should actively sensitize citizens and strengthen public demand for accountability. Nigerians must be bold and courageous in protecting civic rights and resisting the current climate of restricting civic space.

4. We call on the Private Sector as critical stakeholders in the nation-state agenda to continue to support and demand accountability in governance and the promotion of the rule of law as the basic premise of economic progress and nation building. Professional bodies and associations must rise to the challenge of building a broad national consensus to oppose tyranny and ensure maintenance of checks and balances in governance and the protection of the rule of law.

5. We call on our traditional leaders and members of the clergy to rise to the full weight of their moral and civic authority to promote peaceful co-existence, solidarity, and inter-faith dialogue to arrest the current slide to criminality and civil disorder.

6. Given the clear and consistent indications of the lack of neutrality and competence of INEC, professional bodies such as the Nigerian Bar Association, Unions, and other civic groups must set up mechanism of engaging the electoral body to ensure that the 2027 elections are free, fair and credible.

7. The Judiciary must address the perception of its complicity to stall democratic processes. It must remain independent and uphold the rule of law. As a matter of urgency, the Nigerian Bar Association must call its members to order for professional conduct and strengthen its monitoring on the judiciary, it must stay alert and patriotic and ensure political actors play by the rule. The National Judicial Council must set up a framework for holding judges accountable for decisions they take in the context of electoral process.

DATED AT ABUJA, NIGERIA 8th JUNE 2026

1. Dr. Husseini Abdu
2. Amb. Fatima Balla OON
3. Dr. Usman Bugaje
4. Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, CON
5. Dr. Yahaya Hashim
6. Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim
7. Prof. Attahiru Muhammadu Jega OFR
8. Prof. Mohammed Kuna
9. Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, SAN, OON
10. Mal Kabiru Yusuf