By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday lamented over its inability to sanction political parties, candidates, and their supporters who engage in premature campaigns ahead of the forthcoming elections in the country.
Both the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and Chairman of the Electoral Institute, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, said this in Abuja at a one-day roundtable with the theme “Challenges of Premature Political Campaign”, organized for legislators, leaders of political parties, civil society organisations, experts, practitioners and regulators among others to brainstorm on the way forward.
Prof. Yakubu, who explained that the Electoral Act prescribed a fine of ₦500,000 for campaigns conducted less than 24 hours to an election, noted with regrets that there are no sanctions for campaigns carried out before the 150-day window stipulated by the 2022 Electoral Act.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute and National Commissioner, Prof Abdullahi Abdu-Zuru expressed concern about the resort to early campaign by the political class in breach of the laws of the land.
The INEC Chairman noted that Section 94(1) of the Act prohibits campaigns earlier than 150 days before polling and requires them to end 24 hours before election day, stressing that the intent is to prioritise governance over constant electioneering.
According to him, despite these provisions, the parties and their candidates remain in perpetual campaign mode, often before INEC even releases an official timetable for elections.
In the words of Yakubu, “Around the country, we have seen outdoor advertising, media campaigns and even rallies promoting various political parties and candidates.
“These actions and activities undermine the Commission’s ability to track campaign finance limits as politicians, prospective candidates and third-party agents expend large amount of money that cannot be effectively monitored before the official commencement of campaigns.
“Quite correctly, Nigerians expect INEC, as registrar and regulator of political parties to act in the face of the brazen breach of the law on early campaign. “However, the major challenge for the Commission is the law itself. Sections 94(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 imposes sanctions, albeit mild (a maximum amount of N500,000 on conviction), on any political party or a person acting on its behalf who engaged in campaigns 24 hours before polling day.
“However, there is no sanction whatsoever concerning breaches for campaigns earlier than 150 days to an election. Here lies the challenge for the Commission in dealing with early campaign by political parties, prospective candidates and their supporters.
“In a sense, the problem of early campaign in Nigeria is not new. The seeming inability of the Commission and other regulatory agencies to deal with the menace within the ambit of the existing electoral legal framework calls for deep reflection.
“It is in this context that the Commission considered it appropriate to convene this meeting in which legislators, leaders of political parties, civil society organisations, experts, practitioners and regulators will brainstorm on the way forward.
“Similarly, as the National Assembly is currently reviewing our electoral laws, the Commission has also invited the leadership of both the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters.
“I am confident that they will give due consideration to actionable recommendations by experts, leaders of political parties, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) which regulates the broadcast media and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) which regulates advertisement, including outdoor advertising”, he explained.
Prof Yakubu maintained that protecting the nation’s electoral process and consolidating it’s democracy is a multi-stakeholder task.
Also, the Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute and National Commissioner, Prof Abdullahi Abdul-Zuru expressed concern about the resort to early campaign by the political class in breach of the laws of the land.
Abdul-Zuru, while nothing that Nigeria’s democracy is still in transition, noted that it faces serious challenges like every evolving system. He added that one of the most worrying challenges faced by the commission is the increasing resort to early campaigns by political actors and their surrogates in many form,s.
His words: “We have seen aspirants use cultural festivals and religious gatherings to drop hints about their ambitions, often disguised as appreciation or philanthropy.
“Billboards and branded vehicles sometimes appear with cleverly crafted slogans that stop just short of open solicitation but leave little doubt about the intent.
“More recently, social media influencers and content creators have become key players and fronts, flooding platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok, YouTube, and X with songs, skits, and hashtags that project particular aspirants many months before the permission of the law.
“The Electoral Act 2022 is clear on this matter. Section 94 (1) for the purpose of this act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day”, he stated.
