The Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Mike Igini, has said it is an criminal offence under the Electoral Act 2022 for politicians to obtain multiple nomination forms.

Section 115 (D) of the Act reads: “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].”

Speaking yesterday on “Sunrise Daily”, a Channels Television breakfast programme, Igini said by “constituency”, the Electoral Act 2022 refers to separate elections, whether it is presidential, governorship, senatorial, the House of Representatives or that of states’ House of Assembly.

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The REC explained that any candidate who runs afoul of the law is liable to be jailed for two years, adding that Section 115 (3) even states that an attempt to obtain multiple forms is an offence.

“Section 115 (D) of the Electoral Act 2022 stipulates that no person shall sign, 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 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.

“There are many candidates that have done this. INEC can only point you in that direction; that’s what we can do.

“People walk their way to prison when they say that they bought two forms. Section 115 (D) prohibits that. In fact, subsection 3 of 115 says that even that attempt itself will be treated as the offence.