Politicians and political parties in Katsina State have been warned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to refrain from using insulting and inflammatory language while running for office.
At a stakeholders forum on Friday in Katsina, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim-Umar, the Director of the Commission’s Election and Party Monitoring (EPM), issued the warning.
Political campaigns should be handled in a calm, disciplined, and responsible manner, the INEC official said.
The conduct of political campaigns is outlined in Electoral Act 2022 Section 92 (1-6), he continued.
According to him, it is against the law to use harsh language in political campaigns or slogans, either directly or indirectly, especially if it could offend people’s religious, ethnic, tribal, or sectional sentiments.
Additionally, political rallies, processions, and places of public worship should not be used for political campaigns, according to Electoral Act 2022 section 92 (1).
Further admonishing political campaigns against endorsing, promoting, or criticizing political parties, candidates, their policies, or ideologies, Ibrahim-Umar said
“In order to avoid breaking an electoral law that carries a fine, incarceration, or both, political parties and candidates must internalize what the Electoral Act of 2022 defines as campaign laws or limits.
“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, as the adage goes.
The confidence of candidates and voters in the electoral processes is increased by transparency in these areas.
This could help expose any unethical actions or potential abuses of governmental power, if any exist. said Ibrahim-Umar.
According to him, the Electoral Act gives the Commissioner of Police in each state and the FCT the authority and direction to ensure that political rallies and processions are conducted properly and peacefully within their respective jurisdictions.
And for this purpose, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and any other security agency of the Federal Government may support the police, he continued.
“Therefore, no registered political party in Nigeria, its candidates, or aspirants shall be prohibited from having gatherings, processions, or meetings at any time for their legitimate political objectives.
In cases when there are scheduling conflicts between parties, the police must settle them in a consultative manner.
“For the purpose of a political rally or procession, a political party shall give written notice to the state’s commissioner of police specifying the precise location and time of the rally or procession and promising to conduct itself in a peaceful manner and control against violence or public nuisance.
Political parties must submit information to the commission via the local government area’s electoral officer and the state’s resident electoral commissioner.
“Details of the schedule of their political procession or rally, at least 10 days prior to the date of the procession or rallies, should be in both hard and soft copy.”
He emphasized that the notification for national campaign rallies and procession must be jointly signed by the political party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.
He stated that the state chairman and party secretary should both sign the notice in the case of a state campaign and procession.
