Section 127
Undue influenceA person who—
(a) corruptly by his or herself or by any other person at any time after the date of an election has been announced, directly or indirectly gives or provides or pays money to or for any person for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person or any other person to vote or refrain from voting at such election, or on account of such person or any other person having voted or refrained from voting at such election; or
(b) being a voter, corruptly accepts or takes money or any other inducement during any of the period stated in paragraph (a), commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.
This provision prescribes the punishment for anyone who exerts undue influence on a voter. Example:
Use of money to corruptly influence a person to vote or refrain from voting
A voter corruptly accepting or taking money or any other inducement before, during or after election to vote or refrain from voting
MODEBE V. OKADIGBO (1992) 9 NWLR (PT. 263) 1 at 21
Undue influence by intimidation is not proved until evidence is led to show that individual voters were in fact influenced. The threat should be judged by the effect on the voter threatened, not by the intention of the person issuing the threat.
See also: ABUBAKAR & ANOR V. INEC & ORS (2019) LPELR-48488 (CA) and YUSUFU V. OBASANJO (2003) 16 NWLR (Pt.847) 544
