INEC’s Inaction on Early Campaigns

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seems to have ignored its responsibility of checking the excesses of political parties over their current resort to public campaigns ahead of the 2027 general election.

Signs of early campaigns emerged with rising presence of political posters, gale of endorsements, mobilisation and escalating verbal exchanges among political figures.

In June, the posters promoting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election emerged everywhere in Abuja, sparking debate about the appropriateness of such activities, given that the official campaign season is yet to begin.

Responding to questions on the issue, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi last week noted that any open campaign or canvassing votes for the 2027 elections is not only inappropriate but also a violation of the Electoral Act.

He said Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 stipulates that the period of campaigning in public by political parties for an election shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.

He also disclosed that the attention of all political parties had been drawn to the situation at INEC’s last quarterly consultative meeting.

This was immediately followed by the criticism by human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), of early campaigns, describing them as illegal and urging INEC to caution politicians against breaching the Electoral Act, 2022.

“As far as the Electoral Act, 2022 is concerned, the ongoing election campaign is illegal, totally illegal.

“It’s also diversionary, because what Nigerians expect now, and what the law provides, is governance of the country without disruption.

“So, it’s not time yet to campaign and I do hope that INEC would draw the attention of politicians, including those in government, to relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

“There is no provision yet. There is no room yet for campaigning in Nigeria,” Falana insisted.

 However, many believe that the present leadership of INEC is a toothless bulldog with no political will to sanction the political parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has since commenced campaigns for President Tinubu, who has not even declared his ambition to seek reelection in 2027.