INEC has warned the Ondo and Edo governments against abusing incumbent power ahead of the elections

Ahead of the gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to political parties and candidates to respect legal requirements for fair access to public facilities.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Voter Information and Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement on Friday, stressed the need for compliance with Section 95(2) of the 2022 Elections Act, which prohibits the use of state resources for advantage or disadvantage. any political party or candidate.

Olumekun noted that the commission observed a persistent problem in the electoral process in Nigeria: the abuse of incumbent power to prevent opposition parties and candidates from utilizing public facilities for campaign activities.

This, according to him, includes restricting access to public buildings, restricting the use of state-owned media, charging excessive advertising fees, and removing or destroying campaign materials, leading to violent clashes and disturbing public peace.

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To address this issue, Olumekun reiterated that Article 95(3-5) of the Election Law mandates equal coverage of all parties and candidates by public media, and violations can result in sanctions against media officials. He stressed the importance of complying with these regulations, adding that INEC has provided guidelines for rallies, processions and political campaigns on its website and social media platforms to ensure clarity and compliance.

“The Commission calls on all concerned parties to strictly comply with the guidelines and provisions of this law,” Olumekun said.

With the Edo gubernatorial election scheduled for September 21, 2024, and the Ondo gubernatorial election on November 16, 2024, INEC’s warning serves as a reminder to ensure equality for all political parties and candidates.

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