2023 Campaigns: INEC Threatens Sanctions As States Clamp Down On Opposition Parties
AREWA AGENDA – Following reports that state governments are trying to stifle the electioneering activities of opposition political parties and their candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has condemned such practice, saying it is ready to penalise states in which such incident are recorded,
According to INEC, all parties participating in the 2023 general elections are free to campaign in all the 36 states of the federation.
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This, according to the Commission, is in tandem with the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election campaign by political parties as provided in Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The Commission, therefore, warned state governments not to prevent other political parties from campaigning in their domains.
The chief press secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, who disclosed this while speaking exclusively with LEADERSHIP yesterday in Abuja, said there are penalties for contravening these provisions and the law is no respecter of persons, no matter how highly placed.
Oyekanmi said the law states that airtime/space of the electronic and print media, whether publicly or privately owned, shall be allotted equally among the political parties or candidates at similar hours of the day.
