Engage In Electoral Violence, Risk 2-year Jail Term – Lawyer

A legal practitioner, Mr Joe Abaagu, has cautioned Nigerian youths to shun all forms of electoral violence to avoid two-year jail term without option of fine.

Abaagu who is the Acting Chairman, Justice, Development and Peace Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

He explained that the new Electoral Act being enforced by INEC has very strong provisions to tackle electoral violence, snatching of ballot boxes and destruction of election materials.

READ ALSO: Engage In Electoral Violence, Risk 2 Years Jail Term – Lawyer

“The current electoral act is very harsh on electoral violence.

“For instance section 116 of the Act which deals with disorderly behaviour at political meetings punishes anybody who goes to disrupt a meeting with the punishment of either N500,000 as fine or 12 months imprisonment.

“Similarly, Section 125 of the Electoral Act also deals with disorderly conduct at elections and also punishes with the same amount of N500,000 or 12 months in prison.

“Section 126 which deals with offenses on election day and especially Subsection 4 which deals with snatching or destroying electoral materials, punishes an offender with 24 months imprisonment without option of fine.

The legal practitioner, therefore, said the youths should not allow themselves to be used negatively by politicians during the 2023 elections.

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He said they should rather demand from the politicians, details of how they intend to tackle the myriad of issues affecting the country.

Mr Abaagu urged the youths not to waste their future on politicians who do not have anything valuable to add to their lives and the nation.

He said the youths should embrace the purpose of good governance and peaceful election.

To the politicians, Mr Abaagu said they should campaign on issues affecting the country rather than try to exploit the nation’s fault lines for their selfish interests.