The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties and candidates against using masqueraders, public facilities and religious centres for campaigns.
During an interview with Punch, the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Committee on Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, urged political parties to comply strictly with the provisions of the Electoral Act to avoid sanctions as stipulated by the Act. September 28 has been fixed by INEC for the commencement of campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly, while elections will hold on February 25, 2023.
While talking about Section 92 of the Electoral Act, 2022, Okoye explained that the law expected political campaigns to be civil and free of abuse.
In previous elections, some political parties and their candidates engaged in all kinds of theatrics like using masqueraders, to entertain the crowd and making their rallies colourful while some openly campaigned in public offices and worship centres like churches and mosques to woo civil servants and worshippers.
Okoye said: “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.”
About Section 6 of the Act, Okoye said: “A political party, aspirant or candidate shall not keep or use armed private security organisation, vanguard or any other group or individual by whatever name called for the purpose of providing security, assisting or aiding the political party or candidate in whatever manner during campaigns, rallies, processions or elections.”
He talked about the need for compliance and pointed out that the Act already provided for sanctions for offenders and that compliance with the law should be prioritised by every party and candidate.
He said: “A political party, aspirant or candidate who contravenes any of the provisions of Section 92 of the Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction in the case of an aspirant or candidate, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months; and in the case of a political party, to a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N1,000,000 for any subsequent offence.
“A person or group of persons who aids or abets a political party, an aspirant or a candidate in organising or equipping any person or group for the purpose of enabling them to be employed for the use or display of physical force commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years or both.”
“On those who coerce others to support their candidates or refrain from supporting a particular candidate during campaigns.
“Section 93 of the Act prohibits a party, candidate, aspirant or person or group of persons from directly or indirectly threatening any person with the use of force or violence during any political campaign in order to compel that person or any other person to support or refrain from supporting a political party or candidate.
“A political party, candidate, aspirant, person or group of persons that contravenes the provisions of Section 93(1) of the Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction in the case of a candidate, aspirant, or person or group of persons, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months; and in the case of a political party, to a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N500,000 for any subsequent offence.”
