House of Reps Approves Tough New Penalties in Electoral Act Amendment — 2-Year Jail, ₦5m Fine for Vote Buyers and Sellers

In a major step toward strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework, the House of Representatives has approved significant amendments to the Electoral Act that impose much tougher punishments for vote buying and selling — a practice long blamed for undermining the credibility of elections across the country. 

The new amendments were adopted during the clause-by-clause consideration of the Electoral Bill 2025, in a bid to close existing legal loopholes and restore public confidence in the democratic process. Lawmakers say the reforms aim to deter electoral malpractice and enhance transparency, fairness, and accountability in the conduct of polls.

Harsher Penalties for Vote Buying and Selling

Under the amended Clause 22 (a and c) of the Electoral Act, individuals found guilty of buying or selling votes now face a minimum of two years’ imprisonment and/or a ₦5 million fine. In addition to these sanctions, offenders will be barred from contesting any election for at least 10 years. 

This is a dramatic increase from the previous provisions, which capped fines at ₦500,000 or a similar two-year prison term under certain circumstances, but lacked teeth in terms of enforcement and long-term consequences.

Other Key Reforms Included

The House did not stop at vote buying penalties. Several other reforms designed to tighten election procedures were also approved:

Electronic Transmission of Results:

The amended Section 60(3) of the Electoral Act now mandates simultaneous electronic transmission of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) at the same time results are physically collated. This move is aimed at reducing opportunities for manipulation and back-office result alterations. 

Sanctions for Electoral Officers:

Presiding officers who deliberately breach counting, announcement, or result-transmission procedures will face a minimum fine of ₦500,000 and/or at least 6 months’ imprisonment — a clear warning to officials against misconduct. 

Early Funding Provision:

The House approved a clause requiring election funds to be released to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least one year before general elections to ensure timely planning and logistics. 

Multiple Voter Registration Crackdown:

Penalties for multiple voter registrations were increased — offenders now risk a minimum fine of ₦100,000 and/or at least one year’s imprisonment. 

Extended Timelines for Candidate Submission:

Political parties will now have up to 210 days (instead of 180 days) before elections to submit their list of candidates to INEC, giving the commission more time for verification and processing. 

Tech-Driven Voter Identification:

The House also adopted provisions allowing the use of electronically generated voter identification, including QR-coded downloadable voter cards, as prescribed by INEC. This reform could mark a significant step toward modernising the accreditation process. 

Process and Next Steps

The Electoral Act amendment process, which began as a proposal to repeal the 2022 Electoral Act entirely, has instead evolved into targeted revisions that enjoy broader consensus among lawmakers and stakeholders. The more radical proposals — such as early voting, inmate voting, and full modernisation of the PVC system — failed to secure sufficient support during deliberations. 

The remaining clauses of the Electoral Bill 2025 are still under consideration, but the approved reforms mark a significant legislative push toward curbing electoral malpractice and bolstering democratic credibility.

Conclusion: A Step Toward Cleaner Elections?

The increased penalties for vote buying and selling, tighter controls on electoral officers, and use of technology in result transmission represent a shift in Nigeria’s electoral landscape. Whether these measures will drastically reduce electoral fraud remains to be seen. However, the House’s actions signal a legislative willingness to tackle long-standing issues in Nigeria’s election processes.

Nigeria’s voters and civil society groups will be watching closely as the remaining amendments are finalised and the revised Electoral Act takes shape.

Source: Vanguard Nigeria — “Electoral Act: Reps back 2-year jail term, N5m fine for vote buyers, sellers.”