2023: INEC, Religious Bodies Warn Political Parties Against Campaign Of Calumny, Violent Campaigns

By Akinwale Kasali

As the 2023 Electioneering Campaign begins on Wednesday , 28th September, 2022, electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has warned Political Parties and politicians alike to desist from violent campaigns and campaign of calumny that could heat the polity and cause unrest in the nation.

Chairman of INEC, Mahmud Yakubu, said abusive and slanderous words could provoke violence during the campaigns.

Yakubu, who was represented by a National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, spoke at a workshop in Lagos on Monday.

“Abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns. Let me also remind the media of their constitutional and legal obligations,” he said.

Yakubu reiterated this position during a sensitisation forum on political broadcasting in Abuja, with the theme, ‘Towards a fair and responsible broadcast coverage of the 2023 general elections.’

He warned that the Commission would do everything within its power to ensure that the 2023 general election was free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive and verifiable.

He said, “Candidates and their supporters, as well as the media have a responsibility to operate within the confines of the law and the provisions of the commission’s regulations and guidelines. Issue-based campaigns are essential for safe electioneering. In turn, this will create the atmosphere for the successful deployment and conduct of all electoral activities.

“Campaigns should be devoid of hate speech, abusive or slanderous language, insinuations or innuendos likely to provoke a violent reaction, physical attacks on supporters of one party or another or the destruction of campaign materials.

“More specifically, section 95 of the Electoral Act defines the responsibilities of political parties and candidates, the media and public institutions. It also provides sanctions for violations.

“For instance, in the course of our numerous interactions with political parties over the years, many of them have complained about the denial of access to public facilities for their meetings or rallies, exorbitant charges for signage and billboards and equal access to the state media.”

In the same vein, religious bodies like the Christian Association of Nigerian, CAN, through its President, Anthony Okoh and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III have urged Nigerians to work together for peace and justice ahead of the 2023 general elections.

They made the call on Monday during the 2022 third quarter meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religion Council, held on Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event themed, ‘Working together for justice and peace,’ was also attended by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha and leaders of NIREC.

Abubakar said, “The role of religious leaders is to be just and fair to earn the trust of the people and I urge Muslims and Christians in the country to come together to pursue peace and justice because we are inseparable.”

Okoh said, “As we prepare for another significant milestone in our country, the 2023 general elections, it is important that we guard our actions and utterances as leaders. We must not be seen as people who are fanning embers of hate, disunity, encouraging political violence, or attempting to divide the populace along tribal or religious lines.”

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, gave a stern warning to political parties to avoid violence during the exercise.

Mustapha, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Dr Maurice Mbaeri, urged religious leaders to create the needed change so that Nigerians can always live in unity and harmony.

“I want to charge every one of us to work for peace that will endure and outlast us by creating functional structures for generations unborn. This structure must have the capacity to be proactive in responding to emerging issues while reinforcing longer and larger change processes. We cannot fold our hands when we see problems emerging,” he said.