Politics
2027: Jega Condemns Premature Campaigns, Blames Elected Officials
Prof. Jega submitted on Wednesday in his keynote presentation during the INEC’s Roundtable on ‘The Challenges of Premature Campaigns’ held in Abuja.
Prof. Jega who placed the blame of premature campaigns at the doorsteps of incumbent elected officials, maintained that it remained a serious aberration to the electoral process.
He said: “Premature election campaigns are basically campaigns done outside the legally defined period. They create an uneven playing field; disrespect and violate the law; they confer unfair advantages to parties/candidates who jumped the gun; they breed/entrench a culture of lawlessness and impunity; and they create political tensions; and they may even generate tensions and conflicts and undermine law and order.
“To protect the integrity of the electoral process, most electoral systems require campaigns to be conducted according to the rules and regulations provided in the electoral legal framework; with due respect to the calendar of the elections; respecting the right and freedom of other parties to organize and campaign and reach out to the voters; respecting the election managers and not interfering with the performance of their duties.
“Although the Nigerian electoral legal framework contains some provisions regulating election campaigns, as it provides for period of commencement and end of campaigns, regrettably, premature campaigning has remained inadequately regulated and has become increasingly widespread, characterised mainly by the display of posters featuring politicians, across political parties, but especially of incumbents, at both federal and state levels, literally ‘jumping the gun’, some two years before the official election/campaign period.
“Many, if not most of these, are what can be termed as “third-party” campaigns, ostensibly carried out by candidates’ support groups, with dubious financing, most likely in crass violation of campaign financing legislations. There are allegations that some parties/candidates sponsor these premature campaigns hiding behind dubious illegal “third parties”; thereby also breaching campaign finance laws.
“There is no doubt that, currently in Nigeria, the prevalence of premature campaigns raises serious challenges to the preparations and conduct of the 2027 elections, and therefore need to be sanitized urgently. It is being done quite brazenly especially by incumbent elected officials at all levels and tiers of government.”
The former Chairman of INEC who acknowledged the fact that the Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended) is silent on the issue of election campaigns and related matters urged the Commission to always seek clarification from political parties on any of its activities it has strong reservations about.
“Furthermore, Section 94(1) states that ‘for the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day. While Section 95(1) states that ‘a candidate and his or her party shall campaign for the elections in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be determined by the Commission.’
“From these provisions, it is clear that jumping the gun is prohibited, and it would seem that the onus of regulating (and sanctioning?) campaigns is placed on INEC. The pertinent questions are: Is there a clear, unambiguous, definition of what constitute election campaign by INEC?
“What guidelines and rules has INEC determined and put in place, for the regulation of election campaigns, especially the premature (“third party”) campaigns? How robust are they? What gaps need to be addressed in good time before the 2027 elections.”
Prof. Jega maintained that Electoral Act made provisions for a specific timeline for commencement of campaigns and premature campaigning that violates the provisions.
In his remarks, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Commissioner of Police, Elections Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Abayomi Shogunle, assured that the force will always perform its duty of enforcing laws including those that concern seamless conduct of elections.
“We as the law enforcement, we have a duty to enforce laws and then we need to ask ourselves again, what are the relevance of these laws to issues of security and development?
“The Nigerian police force will continue to enforce every law that has been duly passed by the Senate, House of Assembly, House of Representatives as well. And we will continue to do everything needed to be done to ensure that campaigns go on peacefully at any time, at anywhere it is taking place,” he said.
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.