The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has threatened to sanction political parties, aspirants and organisations who are currently defying the country’s electoral law by organizing early campaigns.
A statement signed by INEC’s secretary, Augusta Ogakwu reads in parts:
“Henceforth, (INEC) would take necessary action against such associations, corporate bodies, individuals, political parties, media or such communication agencies, social media, candidates or aspirants who contravene the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (As amended) and/or Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) on public campaign/rally and procession. Section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) says, “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”
“Relevant extracts of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) have since been reproduced and circulated by the commission at public places, to media outfits, the Ministry of Information, National Orientation Agency, NOA, National Communication Commission, NCC, Head-quarters of Inter-party Advisory Council, IPAC, Headquarters of State, FCT, Local Government Area offices of INEC and the Federal Ministry of Environment for their information and proper guidance.”
This comes as several politicians, political parties and organisations have been holding rallies, mounting bill boards and making use of posters all over the country.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been criss-crossing all the geo-political zones, receiving defectors and garnering support for the re-election of consensus candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, same goes for the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and Goodluck Support Group (GSG), who have also been organizing rallies to trump up support for the incumbent president.
The opposition parties have not been left out, as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari have declared their intentions to run for the presidency and have begun campaigns in earnest while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) held a rally in Anambra to declare its support for President Jonathan ahead of the 2015 polls.
