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Senate Bill Proposes 10 Years Jail For Hate Speech

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Hate speech purveyors are to be jailed for 10 years, fined N20 million or both, according to a bill passed on Tuesday by the Senate.

It also prescribes 20 years jail term without option of fine for any person who propagates information that undermines the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, or unity of the federation.

JomogNews Nigeria learnt these provisions are contained in the bill which seeks to establish the “Electoral Offence Commission and for other related matters 2021”.

“Any person who uses hate speech to stir up ethnic, religious or racial hatred, social or political, insecurity or violence, against anyone or group or person”, is liable to 10 years in jail or N20 million fine or both, the bill proposed.

The Hate Speech Bill introduced last year by lawmakers was shot down by protestation from across sector of Nigerians.

It has now found its way back through the Electoral Offences Commission.

Tuesday’s passage of the bill followed the consideration of the report of the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The upper chamber adopted the Committee’s recommendation of 20 years imprisonment for any person involved in ballot box snatching, supplying voter card to persons without due authority, unauthorised printing of voter register, illegal printing of ballot paper or electoral document, and importation of any device or mechanism by which ballot paper or results of elections may be extracted, affected or manipulated, and voting at an election when he is not entitled to vote.

The Senate in Clause 12 of the Bill approved at least five years imprisonment or a fine of at least N10million or both, for any officer or executives of any association or political party that engages in electoral fraud that contravenes the provisions of clauses 221, 225(1)(2)(3) and (4) and 227 of the 1999 Constitution as amended

It also approved 10 years imprisonment for any person who sells voter card, or in possession of any voter card bearing the name of another person, or prepares and prints a document or paper purporting to be a register of voters or a voter’s card.

The Senate also okayed a term of at least 10 years upon conviction for any election official who “willfully prevents any person from voting at the polling station, wilfully rejects or refuses to count any ballot paper validly cast, willfully counts any ballot paper not validly cast, gives false evidence or withholds evidence, and announces or declares a false result at an election.”

The Upper Chamber in Clause 20(2) approved at least 15 years imprisonment for any judicial officer or officer of a court or tribunal who corruptly perverts electoral justice, during or after an election.

It also prescribed at least 15 years jail term or N30 million fine for any security personnel or election official engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission or State Electoral Commission who attempts to influence the outcome of an election.

In addition, any person found to disturb the public peace on “Election Day” by playing musical instruments, singing or holding an assembly where a polling station is located shall be guilty of breaching electoral peace and liable to six months imprisonment or a fine of at least N100,000 or both.

Also, any person acting for himself or on behalf of any organisation or political party or candidate or his agent with the intention of prejudicing the result of an election, damage or defame, in any manner, the character of any candidate in an election or his family member by making, saying, printing, airing or publishing in the print or electronic media false accusation on any matter shall be guilty of serious corrupt practice and liable on conviction to a term of at least 10 years or a fine of N10million or both.

Any person soliciting or giving votes for or against any political party or candidate at an election, or found to affix campaign materials on any private house, public buildings or structures, or prints posters and banners without the name and address of the political party to which the candidate or person belongs contravenes sub-clause (1) to (5) and guilty of an offence and liable to at least five years or a fine of at least N10million, or both.

The National Electoral Offences Commission Bill, 2021, prohibits any campaign against national interest.

“By the foregoing statistics, it is unrealistic to expect INEC to conduct free, fair and credible election and simultaneously prosecute offences arising from the same elections.

”Indeed, INEC has at several occasions admitted that it lacks the wherewithal to cleanse the system.

“Its failure to prosecute even one per cent of 870,000 and over 900,000 alleged electoral offences in 2011 and 2015 general elections respectively is an affirmation of the necessity for a paradigm shift on how we deal with electoral offences”, the Kano South lawmaker said.

According to him, as a result of electoral flaws in the system, the Justice Uwais Electoral Committee; Sheik Nurudeen Lemu Committee; and Constitution and Electoral Reform Committee were constituted.

He recalled that the various committees in their final reports recommended that for INEC to function efficiently, some of the functions currently performed by it should be assigned to other agencies.

The Senate approved the establishment of the National Electoral Offences Commission.

The Commission’s membership consists of the Chairman, Secretary and representatives from the Justice, Interior, Defence, and Information Ministries.

The function of the Commission includes investigating electoral Offences created in any laws relating to elections in Nigeria; prosecution of electoral offenders; and maintaining records of all persons investigated and prosecuted.

Others are to liaise with the Attorney-General of the Federation and government security and law enforcement bodies and agencies in the discharge of its duties; liaise with other bodies within and outside Nigeria involved in the investigation or prosecution of electoral Offences; and adopting measures to prevent, minimize and eradicate electoral offences throughout the federation.

 

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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”

He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”

Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.

He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.

“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”

The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.

He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”

“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”

Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.

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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency

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The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.

In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.

Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.

“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote

Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.

The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.

‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.

President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded

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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience

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Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.

The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.

In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.

He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”

The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.

Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.

“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”

Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.

“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”

The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.

By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.

The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.

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