Section 149 Electoral Act 2026

Section 149 of the Nigerian Electoral Act 2026 is about Inspection of documents. It provides as follows:

(1) An order for inspection of a polling document or any other document or packet in the custody of the Chief National Electoral Commissioner or any other
officer of the Commission may be made by an Election Tribunal or a Court of
competent jurisdiction if it is satisfied that the order required is for the purpose
of instituting, maintaining or defending an election petition.

(2) A document other than a document referred to in subsection (1) relating to an
election and which is retained by the Chief Electoral Commissioner or any
other officer of the Commission in accordance with this section shall be open
for inspection on an order made by the Election Tribunal or the Court in
exercise of its powers to compel the production of documents in legal
proceedings.

(3) Where there is a breach of an order of the Election Tribunal or the Court
directed at the Commission, particularly order to produce, inspect or take
copies of electoral documents or materials, the Commission shall first be
summoned to show cause why it cannot comply with the order to establish
disobedience before it can be deemed to have disobeyed the order.

(4) Such disobedience where established, shall attract court sanctions, which shall include the committal by the Tribunal or Court of the Commission’s official to whom the order is directed to summary conviction to imprisonment for at least
two years, without an option of fine.

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