NASS moves to toughen punishment for vote buying ahead of 2027 elections

Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader, has said the National Assembly is proposing stiffer penalties for vote buying and other electoral offences ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a statement released on Monday to mark the resumption of plenary by the 10th National Assembly, Bamidele said the proposals are contained in the Electoral Bill, 2025, which is currently being considered by the legislature.

“With respect to vote buying, the sanctions range from a fine of N5 million to a two-year imprisonment and a 10-year ban from contesting elections,” the statement reads.

He said the bill also recommends mandatory jail terms and higher fines for offences such as result falsification and obstruction of election officials.

Bamidele said the provisions are aimed at eliminating impunity and strengthening the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.

He said the proposed law introduces electronically generated voter identification, including a downloadable voter card with a unique QR code.

He added that the bill mandates presiding officers to transmit polling unit results electronically, including the total number of accredited voters.

Bamidele said the legislation also standardises delegates for indirect primaries to prevent party leaders from unilaterally determining delegate criteria.

He said committees on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in both chambers would soon submit their reports for clause-by-clause consideration.

Bamidele said the reforms are intended to guarantee credible, transparent and secure elections beginning with the 2027 polls.

The senate leader said the next 16 months would be as demanding as the previous period, with renewed focus on electoral reforms and governance restructuring.

He said lawmakers would devote quality time to the consideration of the 2026 appropriation bill presented by President Bola Tinubu to a joint session of the national assembly on December 18, 2025.

“The proposal is crucial to the growth, prosperity and stability of our economy this year and beyond,” he said.

He said the budget is designed to reinforce macroeconomic stability, deepen global competitiveness and translate growth into jobs and improved living standards.

Bamidele said the enactment of the 2025 tax reform act has recalibrated Nigeria’s fiscal space by easing the tax burden on low-income earners while placing greater responsibility on high-income earners.

“With the reforms of our fiscal space, we believe funding our budget will no longer be a challenge, and our budget deficit will begin to shrink year by year,” he said.

He said the senate is also prioritising reforms that would guarantee credible and transparent elections in 2027.

Bamidele said the review of the 1999 Constitution has reached an advanced stage, with technical sessions and public hearings concluded.

He said Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president and chairman of the constitution review committee, would soon present the report to the senate.

Bamidele said the final stage of the process would require approval by at least two-thirds of state houses of assembly, as stipulated by the constitution.

“These are brief highlights of what lies ahead of us in the coming weeks,” he said.

“At the end of it all, good governance, enhanced security and the welfare of our constituents shall remain our cardinal objectives.”

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