INEC WARNS POLITICIANS OF N5M FINE, JAIL TERM FOR CAMPAIGN VIOLATIONS
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned politicians and political parties against using abusive, inflammatory or threatening language during campaigns, warning that violators could face substantial fines or imprisonment under the Electoral Act 2026.
INEC also urged the media to expose politicians who make statements capable of inciting violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to its Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, gave the warning in a telephone interview on Sunday.
He said campaign statements become electoral intimidation when they go beyond normal political debate and involve threats, hate speech, coercion or calls for violence.
Under the Nigerian legal framework, rhetoric becomes punishable intimidation when it incites ethnic, religious, or regional hostility through abusive, base, or slanderous language explicitly designed to provoke violent emotions or target specific groups,” Oketola said, citing Section 96 of the Electoral Act 2026.
He also quoted the law as stating: “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.”
Oketola added that the law prohibits the use of “abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language, insinuations, innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions” during political campaigns.
According to him, politicians cross the line into intimidation when they threaten voters, opponents or electoral officials with violence, physical harm, economic punishment or social exclusion because of their political choices.
He said campaigns should not create fear that could discourage people from voting or prevent particular groups from participating in elections.
Oketola said INEC is an election management body, not a security agency, but noted that the Electoral Act gives security agencies specific responsibilities during political rallies.
He said INEC is also empowered to monitor campaigns and enforce compliance with the Code of Conduct for Political Parties.
“Beyond inter-agency security coordination, INEC is statutorily empowered to monitor political campaigns and enforce compliance with the Code of Conduct for Political Parties. The Commission can issue formal queries and sanction non-compliant parties within its administrative limits,” he said.
Oketola stated that a political party found guilty of non-compliance would be fined N10 million for the first offence and N2 million for every subsequent violation.
He added that safeguarding the credibility of the 2027 elections would require the collective efforts of INEC, security agencies, the media, traditional institutions and religious leaders.
Oketola further called on the media to expose politicians who make inflammatory remarks, while urging traditional and religious leaders to leverage their influence to discourage political violence.
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