With the date for the commencement of campaigns for the 2023 general elections fast approaching, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to political parties against taking campaigns to worship centres.
The electoral commission warned that making use of masqueraders, religious centers for campaigns will be tantamount to the violation of Section 92 subsection 3 of the Electoral Act.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Committee on Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, who made this known in an interview, added that the law expects political campaigns to be civil and devoid of abuse.
According to him, political parties are to align strictly with the provisions of the Electoral Act to avoid sanctions as stipulated by the Act.
In his words, “Section 92 of the Electoral Act makes it mandatory that a political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.
“Therefore, abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuations or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.
“Subsection 3 states that places designated for religious worship, police stations and public offices shall not be used for political campaigns, rallies and processions; or to promote, propagate or attack political parties, candidates or their programmes or ideologies.
“Masqueraders shall not be employed or used by any political party, aspirant or candidate during political campaigns or for any other political purpose.”
The New Diplomat reports that INEC had fixed September 28 for the commencement of campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly, while the elections would hold on February 25, 2023.
While a total of 16 political parties are contesting in the forthcoming presidential election, analysts have said the battle will be between Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP); and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
