INEC decries early campaigns by incumbents, seeks amendment of Electoral Act

Victoria Etta-Messi, director of voter education and publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says incumbents are exploiting their positions to gain undue advantage in early election campaigns.

Speaking earlier on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said the commission is constrained by the law from sanctioning politicians who have commenced campaigns ahead of the 2027 general election.

Yakubu said while section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibits campaigns earlier than 150 days before the elections, the law provides no sanction for such breaches.

Speaking on the challenges faced by the commission on Channels’ Politics Today, Etta-Messi described the situation as “dicey”, noting that the INEC called the stakeholders’ meeting to seek collaboration and find a way forward.

She acknowledged criticism directed at INEC for inaction but explained that the commission’s hands are tied by the existing legal framework.

“The point was made that any state you go to, any government in power takes advantage. And again, people are using incumbency benefits to their advantage to the detriment of those not in office,” she said.

“It’s being between the devil and the deep blue sea. It is actually a dicey problem, which was why the commission thought that all critical stakeholders who have a role to play should come together and begin to brainstorm and to think of the way forward.

“A lot of attacks have been on the commission, saying that the commission isn’t doing much, but our hands are tied. There really isn’t much we can do until the legal framework is amended, and that will give us power to take action.”

She noted that section 94(2) of the Electoral Act only allows INEC to act if campaigns occur within 24 hours before the election but remains silent on early campaign violations outside the 150-day window.

“The only part of the law, section 84(2), is just a slap on the wrist and only allows us to take action if a campaign is conducted 24 hours to election but it’s silent on what should be done with defaulters who conduct campaigns before the 150-day window,” she added.