Inec chairman disagrees with Buhari saying Electoral Act punishes ballot box snatching with 24 month jail term

INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (Inec) chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu has revealed that Nigeria's Electoral Act only provides for a 24 month jail sentence for anyone caught snatching ballot boxes and not the death penalty.

On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered security men to shoot at sight, anyone sighted to be involved in snatching ballot boxes. His speech to the expanded national caucus of his party the All Progressives Congress (APC), attracted widespread criticism from political opponents, who described the utterance as in invitation to anarchy and an attempt to hound the opposition.

President Buhari had said: “I went round the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and I think I have enough support across the country to look out for me. So, I want to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.”

Responding, however, Professor Yakubu said the declaration of President Buhari did not conform with the provisions of the Electoral Act. Section 129 (4) of the Electoral Act states that any person who snatches or destroys any election material commits an offence and is liable on conviction to 24 months imprisonment.

Professor Yakubu added: “You asked if ballot box snatchers can be shot at sight. The position of the commission is that all violators of the Electoral Act should be punished according to the provisions of the Electoral Act.”

He also pointed out that Section 131(1) of the act prescribes a fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years for individuals involved in an organised plot to instigate violence on election day. This includes preventing any political aspirants from free use of the media, designated vehicles, mobilisation of political support and campaign at an election.

Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council has given its backing to President Buhari’s order to the military to deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers during the coming elections.

At the end of its recent meeting in Abuja, information minister Lai Mohammed, said: “Absolutely. I mean if you want to intimidate voters to steal the mandate of the people, you should be able to face the wrath of the law.”