Akpabio, Lawan, Others Risk Jail Terms For Contesting More Than One Office — Igini

Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, has said certain politicians who contested for more than one elective office risk conviction for electoral offences for violation of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Iginni made the declaration on Tuesday while featuring on a Channels TV monitored programme, Sunrise Daily.

Recall that incumbent Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, contested for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress won by former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Lawan has been embroiled in a tussle for the ticket of Yobe North senatorial district with another aspirant, Bashir Machina.

The two-term governor of Akwa-Ibom State and immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Honourable Godswill Akpabio, who withdrew from the APC presidential race at Eagles Square, the venue of the election has been fighting for the ticket of Akwa Ibom North West with Udom Ekpoudom, a former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, believed to have been won by the latter.

Iginni submitted that any aspirant who signed more than one nomination paper has observed Section 115 (D) of the Electoral Act, 2022 in the breach and upon conviction liable to two years imprisonment.

He said: “A person who signs a nomination paper or result form as a candidate in more than one constituency at the same election [commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum term of imprisonment for two years].”

Igini noted that by “constituency,” the electoral term refers to a separate election whether it is presidential, governorship, senatorial, the House of Representatives or that of the state assembly.

He also cited provisions of Section 115 (3) which states that any attempt to obtain multiple forms is an offence.

“Section 115 (D) of the 2022 Electoral Act stipulates that no person shall sign, or obtain more than one form as a candidate for different elections.

“And the offence for that under subsection K, beyond the financial, he will go to two years’ imprisonment.

“Some people are claiming that they participated in one election, that they filled two forms; it’s ignorance of the law and it’s not an excuse.

“We are preventing them from being candidates for prison and they are calling our names everywhere,” the commissioner said.