2023: INEC warns parties against early campaigns

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday cautioned politicians and political parties against campaigning before the constitutionally approved time.

The Electoral Act stipulates that campaigns by political parties should begin 90 days before the election, and end 24 hours before the poll.

The INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, issued the warning during a capacity-building workshop for the commission’s heads of voter education and publicity officers in Abuja.

He said: “These are normal and consistent people are also free to aspire for political positions with the constitution and the electoral act. It is their constitutional rights.

“As of now, we are still operating within the existing electoral framework that makes it mandatory for political parties to only begin campaigns 90 days to the election.

READ ALSO: 2023: All candidates must turn in bank statements, says INEC

“But if the bill before the National Assembly and assented by the President, parties could submit their nominated candidates 180 days to the election.

“What is not allowed is campaigning in public, but you can go and hold meetings with like minds.

“The chairman of the commission and the commission will meet with the heads of the nation’s security agencies and review the security situation in the country and determine further deployment and devolution of the CVR on a roll-out, roll back procedure.

“As we move closer to the 2023 general election, all the critical stakeholders and the security agencies must resolve to degrade and or neutralize the security threats across the federation.

“Our people must be assured that they can vote in a peaceful atmosphere.”

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