The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned Nigerians interested in seeking position in the 2019 elections to put campaigns on hold until it is constitutionally right to kick it off.
INEC threatened to invoke Section 99 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which forbids electioneering campaign until 90 days to election against any political party and individual flouting the law, no matter how highly placed.
The new Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Prof Abdul-Ganiy Raji, also warned politicians against subtle or covert campaigns ahead of the 2018 governorship election in the state.
Issuing the reminder on Wednesday Raji warned politicians that penalty for breaking the law is either six months jail term or N500,000 fine, if taken to court.
Some politicians at the stakeholders meeting where the warning was given in Ado Ekiti complained that the situation was common to the two major political parties in the state-the All Progressives Congress(APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)
Raji, who resumed last month replaces Mr. Sam Olumekun, who was moved to Edo State prior to 2015 governorship poll.
Speaking after a stakeholders’ meeting with politicians in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, Raji said the prohibition would cover jingles being aired on the radio and television as well as the billboards erected at strategic locations, bearing the portraits of aspirants announcing or advertising their governorship intentions.
The reminder by the new REC follows complaints from some political parties that both the PDP and APC were allegedly using state and federal media to gain undue advantage ahead of others.