Before the upcoming Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned state officials in both regions against obstructing opposition access to public facilities for electioneering purposes.
INEC highlighted that with the commencement of public campaigns following the release of the final list of candidates for the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections, a recurring issue in Nigeria’s electoral process has been the misuse of incumbency power to prevent opposition parties and candidates from utilizing public facilities for rallies and other campaign activities.
The statement from INEC, signed by its National Commissioner overseeing Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, pointed out various challenges faced, including restricted access to state-owned media, excessive fees for advertising, and defacement of billboards and posters, leading to potential violent confrontations among party supporters and disruption of public peace.
The Electoral Act 2022, as emphasized by INEC, prohibits the use of State resources to favor or disadvantage any political party or candidate during elections. The Act also mandates public media houses to provide equal coverage to all parties and candidates, with provisions for sanctions against violators.
INEC has shared guidelines for conducting political rallies, processions, and campaigns on its website and social media platforms, urging strict compliance from all parties involved to adhere to the law and electoral guidelines.
