By Obike Uko.
(C)NAKTF.
Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has not lifted political campaigns for the 2027 general elections, there are now open campaigns for the various elective positions.
The campaigns are in various guises: public endorsements at party caucuses, pronouncements after state, zonal and regional meetings, even bill boards are mounted at strategic locations with inscriptions: “4 + 4=8, Second Term is Assured,’’ among others.
The politicians gravitating for re-election, were just elected in May 2023, while many of them have not proven to be good ambassadors, that will translate to rewarding them with the opportunity to go back.
Even zoning of high elective political positions for the 2027 general elections, is even causing rifts in some political parties.
Though scrambling for the positions are legitimate, but Nigerians are worried that instead of giving priority to tackling the current economic and security challenges, politicians are more interest on who gets what in 2027.
This, many commentators and analysts contend, means that Nigerian politicians are more interested in personal comfort through ascending to high political offices.
Already, critical stakeholders have strongly voiced out against the unethical and unguarded campaigns, and called for a stop to the untimely campaigns.
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), who spoke on the issue, called on INEC to take a tougher stance against politicians engaging in premature campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Falana described the trend as “abnormal” and insisted that violators should be charged to court to test the limits of the law.
“The law cannot cover all situations. The lawmakers thought they were dealing with a civilized political class. No. Now that they are violating the law, it makes it a duty, empowered by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, to bring out rules and regulations,” Falana said.
He stressed that INEC has the constitutional authority to act decisively: “INEC is required to charge some of these guys before the court. Let them come to court and say, sorry, my Lord, there is no provision for punishment.’’
Falana added that disobedience to any court order on the matter would amount to contempt, which carries a jail term.
Also in the same vein, former Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and the Commission’s current boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, voiced serious concern over the growing trend of premature political campaigns.
They warned that it poses grave threat to electoral integrity and democratic stability.
The duo spoke recently in Abuja during a one-day policy roundtable titled: “The Challenges of Premature/Early Political Campaigns in Nigeria,” organized by INEC’s Electoral Institute.
Both men stressed that without urgent reforms, the credibility of the 2027 general elections could be endangered.
Jega in his keynote address, described early campaigning as a “dangerous aberration,” that erodes democratic culture and undermines citizens’ confidence in elections.
According to him, although the Electoral Act 2022, stipulates that campaigns should begin no earlier than 150 days before polls, political actors, particularly incumbents, are already staging rallies, mounting billboards, and sponsoring advertisements about two years before the elections.
“Premature campaigns tilt the balance in favour of those in office, promote impunity, and heighten political tension. If not addressed, it could sabotage the democratic process,” Jega warned.
He accused politicians of exploiting legal loopholes by funding activities through proxy groups and support organizations, many of which evade campaign finance regulations. “These third-party activities are unlawful, and when incumbents engage in them with impunity, it weakens public trust and encourages lawlessness,” he said.
The former INEC chairman urged stronger enforcement by the Commission, security agencies, and anti-corruption institutions, citing examples from countries like Australia, India, and Mexico where early campaign excesses are curtailed through strict sanctions.
He recommended clearer legal definitions of premature campaigning, heavier penalties, accountability for parties and incumbents over activities of their support groups.
“In Nigeria, we must do more to safeguard elections. Explicitly defining early campaigns in the law, attaching stiff punishments, and enforcing them vigorously are necessary steps to protect the 2027 polls,” Jega stressed.
On his part, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu aligned with Jega, lamenting that the endless cycle of campaigns diverts leaders from governance and complicates the Commission’s efforts to regulate political financing.
Quoting Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act, Yakubu reminded stakeholders that campaigns are only permitted within 150 days of elections and must end 24 hours before voting.
He regretted that politicians ignore this provision, engaging in campaign activities long before INEC’s official timetable is released.
Yakubu said that while the law prescribes penalties for campaigns conducted within 24 hours of election day, it is silent on violations occurring before the legal start date, leaving regulators handicapped.
“This gap in the law makes enforcement almost impossible and remains a significant challenge,” he said.
Yakubu expressed optimism that the roundtable, which drew participants from the National Assembly, political parties, civil society, the legal community, and media regulators, would produce actionable recommendations to strengthen electoral laws and curb early campaigns.
“Protecting the integrity of our elections is a shared responsibility. I am confident that today’s deliberations will yield practical solutions to this pressing issue,” he said.
Prof. Jonah Onuoha of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who commented on the issue, stressed that elected leaders should be told to fulfill their campaign promises, instead of dissipating energy on endorsements and early campaigns.
Onuoha, who is also the Director, Centre for American Studies in UNN, said that re-election will now depend on performance, adding that it is too early to endorse current elected political office holders.
He stressed that energy should not be dissipated now for an elections coming up in 2027.
Onuoha said that elected political office holders and their supporters should preoccupy themselves with delivery and fulfillment of campaign promises and democracy dividends.
Onuoha, who was also former Head, Department of Political Science in UNN, described the early endorsements as distraction, emphasizing that Nigerians should continue to hold leaders accountable.
” This early attention to 2027 general elections may jeopardise the fulfillment of campaign promises made to the people during the last general elections, “Onuoha added.
Also Eugene Nweke, a Professor of Political Science, Ebonyi State University (EBSU) , who spoke on the issue, described the development as a distraction to the public office holder.
According to him, an elected public officer should focus more on service delivery based on his campaign promises, while his reelection would be hinged on the evaluation and acceptance by the electorate of his or her performance.
“After election, what counts is what the political office holder has done; of course it’s expected that a person who is in office can seek reelection as long as the law allows,” Nweke said.
Dr Paul Okorie, former commissioner for Works in Ebonyi, who also spoke on early campaigns and endorsements for the 2027 elective positions, called for mass sensitisation of the electorate on the dangers of the practices.
Okorie, a governorship aspirant on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019, said rather than endorsement, that people should learn to hold their elected leaders accountable and periodically engage them.
He explained that the development posed a serious threat to the nation’s democracy, adding that representative democracy was all about carrying the people along and letting them evaluate their elected leaders performances based on their campaign promises.
“When people contest for political office, they make promises of what they will do for the people if elected and I believe that the best thing to do is to track performance of these elected officials and not jumping to endorse them for next elective positions.
“This is undemocratic and sycophantic. When you put leaders in a tenured office be it president, governor or even local government chairman, you should be able to track and assess their performance within the period of their mandate,” Okorie said.
Similarly, Dr John Otu, a former Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ebonyi, frowned at the development, adding that,”It doesn’t make sense for people to campaign for 2027 election in 2025.’’
As suggested by stakeholders, the electoral umpire, should be constitutionally empowered to sanction early campaigners. The INEC, should, at the moment use the available option available to punish those in breach of the Electoral Act.
Uko is a retired Deputy Editor-in-Chief,News Agency of Nigeria,NAN.
