2015: INEC bans parties, politicians from campaign

Politicians were warned yesterday to pull the brake on campaigns for 2015.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued the ban, which is coming six months after a letter was written to all political parties in January.

Politicians seem to have rejected INEC’s warning.

Besides President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign posters for the 2015 election, there have been others and leaflets for Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Governors Sule Lamido/ Rotimi Amaechi ticket and Governor Babangida Aliyu. There are ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar branded 2015 shoes on the Internet.

The story is the same for aspirants seeking to contest at the state level.

Although some of these political figures and aspirants have disowned the posters, INEC believes they were testing the waters in defiance of the Electoral Act.

In a statement, INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Robert Idowu, said violators of the Electoral Act would henceforth be arrested by security agencies.

The statement said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has observed that some politicians and registered political parties have begun unbridled campaign towards the forthcoming general election, thereby heating up the polity.

“It is observed that campaign posters are being indiscriminately displayed, while electioneering broadcasts are being aired outside the statutory provision for campaigning towards elections into various elective offices.

“This trend is unhealthy and portends ill for the political process. Indeed, it is a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

“The Commission hereby reminds all players of the provision of Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended), which states as follows:

“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.”

“Political parties are advised to note that campaigning outside this provision is a violation of the law, and the Commission will not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions against culprits as provided by relevant sections of the law.

“Meanwhile, INEC calls on security agents to apprehend violators, whose activities in this regard pose a threat to public order.

“The Commission enjoins all parties to play strictly by the rules, as part of a collective effort to ensure the success of the 2015 elections.”

A source in INEC, who spoke in confidence, said: “When the commission was worried about the poster war in January, it wrote a letter to all political parties to call their members to order.

“But INEC management has observed that these politicians have not relented, although they are clever to admit not being the brain behind such campaigns.

“Heating up the system with 2015 campaign and posters amounts to lawlessness and unwillingness of these politicians to respect the rules of the game. We will not take kindly to it.”

source: the nation