A former federal lawmaker, Dachung Bagos, has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reveal independence by sanctioning President Bola Tinubu and his supporters over marketing campaign billboards that bear the phrases “Vote Tinubu 2027,” months earlier than the legally accredited marketing campaign window.
Mr Bagos, a former member representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency of Plateau State, threw the problem on Thursday whereas talking on AIT Focus.
The lawmaker argued that Part 94 of the Electoral Act 2022 clearly prohibits early marketing campaign messages that explicitly solicit votes, insisting that INEC should set the tone for credible 2027 common elections by cautioning the president, in any other case it dangers being perceived as partisan.
What the regulation is particularly in opposition to
Part 94 of the Electoral Act, 2022, stipulates that campaigns start 150 days earlier than the election, however the race seems to have commenced after the 2023 common election.
Public declarations of curiosity for the 2027 common elections by politicians are commonplace on nationwide tv and at a number of fora, whereas political teams and events are endorsing their most popular candidates forward of the elections.
Additionally, marketing campaign banners have been hoisted in several Nigerian cities, together with in Abuja, with some carrying an inscription “vote for,” which is a violation of the regulation.
Explaining the place of the regulation, Mr Bagos mentioned the regulation doesn’t forbid consultations, city corridor conferences, however it’s only in opposition to when somebody places “vote for” in it.
“The regulation is in opposition to utilizing the phrase ‘vote for,’ so any early discussions in marketing campaign posters that discuss ‘vote for’ are the one issues that the regulation talks about.
“That’s the reason you see in Abuja right this moment that somebody put the banner and poster of the president with out including vote for. They simply put their 2027, so it’s now left so that you can interpret what 2027 is speaking about,” he mentioned.
The programme producer confirmed a marketing campaign commercial on the display that reads “Vote Tinubu 2027” with an image of the president and his spouse.
Mr Bagos mentioned, “With that (phrase) ‘vote,’ it’s in opposition to the regulation, in Part 94. Whosoever, both the candidate or the celebration that places that, INEC is meant to have sanctioned this particular person.
“If it’s the president and there’s no emblem of the celebration due to the vote alone, INEC is meant to sanction the president and warning him.
“Let’s see INEC writing to the president and cautioning him to point out they’re impartial. If actually INEC is impartial, they need to begin by setting an instance. Already, there’s proof. There’s a billboard that already says vote. In as a lot as there is no such thing as a APC (emblem), however there’s a image of the president and vice chairman.
“Let’s see INEC take it from that angle, writing to the president, cautioning him to warning his supporters and celebration about this,” Mr Bagos mentioned.
He argued that if a brand new robust opposition candidate comes up and places his billboards in every single place, the fee will begin implementing the regulation.
“Who put up these posters which can be in opposition to the Electoral Act? The promoting businesses. I anticipate that the primary stakeholders assembly that INEC ought to have is with the Promoting Registration Council of Nigeria,” he mentioned.
INEC chairperson speaks
Talking in a video aired by the identical tv channel, INEC Chairperson Mahmood Yakubu, mentioned the regulation doesn’t stipulate punishment for violators.
In keeping with an announcement posted on the fee’s Fb web page on Wednesday, the fee chairperson acknowledged this at a stakeholders’ dialogue on the menace of untimely campaigns, the place he sought an pressing legislative treatment
“Part 94 (2) (3) imposes sanctions, a most of N500,000 on conviction on any political celebration or an individual performing on its behalf who engages in campaigns 24 hours earlier than the polling date,” Mr Yakubu mentioned within the video.
“Nevertheless, there is no such thing as a sanction, there is no such thing as a sanction by any means, in respect of breaches for campaigns sooner than 150 days, and right here lies the problem for the fee in coping with early campaigns, by events, potential candidates, and their supporters.
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“The issue of early campaigns in Nigeria isn’t new; the seeming lack of ability of the fee and different regulatory businesses to cope with the menace throughout the ambit of the prevailing authorized framework requires deeper reflection.
“It’s on this context that the fee considers it applicable to convene the assembly with legislators, leaders of political events, regulation enforcement businesses, civil society organisations, consultants, practitioners, and regulators to brainstorm on the way in which ahead,” Mr Yakubu mentioned.
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