NEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega
Chuks Okocha
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday warned
that it would henceforth take the necessary action against associations,
corporate bodies, individuals, political parties, media or
communication agencies, social media, candidates/aspirants who
contravene the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and/or Electoral Act
2010 on public campaigns/rallies and processions.
In a statement titled, “Caution On Illegal Public Political Broadcast
And Campaign” and addressed to all the national chairmen of registered
political parties, corporate entities, associations and the general
public, the commission said its attention had been drawn to the
insistent illegal campaigns carried out by associations, corporate
entities, individuals, public and private media and other communication
agencies in the country in contravention of the Constitution and the
Electoral Act on the limitation of political broadcasts.
In the statement, which was signed by the Secretary to the Commission,
Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, the commission stressed that Section 99 of the
Electoral Act 2010 prohibits broadcast and political campaigns earlier
than 90 days before polling day.
Section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 states: “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.”
It added that the relevant extracts of the Electoral Act have since
been reproduced and circulated by the commission at public places, to
media outfits, the Ministry of Information, National Orientation Agency
(NOA), National Communications Commission (NCC), headquarters of the
Interparty 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.
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