Senate okays electoral offences commission, 20- yr jail for offenders
• Receives 2022- 24 MTEF/ FSP, to fix 16yrs for UTME candidates • Sanctions three new federal varsities
THE Senate, yesterday, passed the all- important bill seeking to establish the Electoral Offences Commission.
The passage makes snatching of ballot boxes an electoral offence that attracts a 20 year jail term.
The piece of legislation added that any candidate or agent, who damages or snatches ballot boxes, papers or election materials before, during and after an election without the permission of the presiding electoral official at the polling station attracts a minimum of 20- year imprisonment or a fine not less than N40 million.
The move was sequel to the consideration of a report by the Kabiru Gaya- led Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC). In his presentation, Gaya said the bill became imperative in view of the electoral umpire’s inability to prosecute electoral offenders in accordance with Sections 149 and 150( 2) of the Electoral Act ( as Amended).
THE upper legislative chamber also confirmed receipt of the 2022- 2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Muhammadu Buhari for its consideration.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, made the disclosure while reading the accompanying letter at plenary in Abuja.
In the correspondence, titled ‘ Submission of the Federal Government of Nigeria 2022 – 2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper’, the Nigerian leader commended the Red Chamber for the restoration of the January to December financial calendar by the Ninth Assembly.
While seeking expeditious consideration of the documents, Buhari reminded the lawmakers that their timely passage would facilitate early preparation of the 2022 budget based on approved parameters.
He said: “Let me use this medium to express my deep gratitude for the enduring collaboration and commitment of the leadership and distinguished senators in our collective efforts to sustain the restoration of the January to December financial year.
“On our part, we have worked very hard to sustain the early submission of the MTEF/ FSP. This is to allow the National Assembly sufficient time to perform its important statutory duty of reviewing the framework and strategy paper.”
BESIDES, the Senate Committee on Basic Education has hinted of its intention to pursue amendment of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB) Act with a view to pegging the minimum age of candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME) at 16 years.
Its Vice Chairman, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, who gave the indication during the panel’s oversight visit to the examinations body in Abuja, noted that the committee had identified two major areas to be addressed in the proposed tinkering for better performance.