Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that it will sanction associations, corporate bodies, individuals, political parties, media or such communication agencies, social media, candidates/aspirants who contravene the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (As amended) and/or Electoral Act 2010 (As amended) on public campaign/rally and procession.

In a 26 September statement by the commission’s secretary, Augusta C. Ogakwu, INEC drew attention to an assortment of illegal campaigns by various groups and ruled that the campaigns were in contravention of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) on limitation of political broadcasts.

Mrs. Ogakwu reminded political parties that Section 99 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) prohibited broadcast and political campaign earlier than ninety (90) days before polling day.

Section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) reads: “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day”.

(Read her full statement here:CAUTION ON ILLEGAL PUBLIC POLITICAL BROADCAST AND CAMPAIGN

Various groups, including Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, working for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election have been organising elaborate campaign events, without any sanction.