INEC warns parties to refrain from campaigning

By Elvis Omoregie, Benin

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha has warned aspirants and political parties to stop campaigning for the governorship election with immediate effect or face sanction.

The REC who stated this on Monday in Benin, said that the commission was yet to lift suspension on campaign, noting that parties and candidates were expected to begin campaigning on April 24.

He said political parties were not expected to campaign publicly for the primary election as it is an internal affair of the parties.

He said the practice was not in line with INEC timetable, urging them to put a stop to it. He urged all the political parties and aspirants to pull down billboards, signposts as well as adverts on television and newspapers.

The REC said, “I am calling on the aspirants and the 16 political parties taking part in the September 21 election to comply with the timetable of the election. They are not supposed to campaign publicly for the primary election. It is against the law.

“I will urge them to pull down their banners, billboards and stop running jingles on the radio. They should also stop on television and newspapers. If they do not comply with this directive, we would have no other option than to sanction them,” he added.

He said the role of INEC in primary elections is to monitor and supervise proceedings and are not expected to announce results as primary is mainly an internal affair of the parties.

Reacting to the Edo State APC primaries that was marred by violence on Saturday, Onuoha said his duty is to do a report and send to the headquarters of the commission, adding, “we were present at the APC primary election.  We saw what happened and we will present our report to Abuja.”