Tins parties and dia supporters fit and no fit do during 2023 election campaigns

Beginning September 28, 2022, Nigeria political parties and dia supporters go begin campaigns and rallies in preparations for di general elections wey go shele for February 25, 2023.

To make sure say tins go smooth during di campaign season, di kontri Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for in Electoral Act 2022, Sections 91 – 97, write down all di laws wey candidates, dia political parties and dia supporters gatz follow.

Dis set of campaign rallies go be di first time for Nigeria elections history wey political campaigns and rallies go last for 150 days or five months according to Section 94 (1) of di kontri Electoral Act 2022.

Di section also say di all political campaigns and rallies must to end 24 hours to election day proper.

“94.—(1) 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.”

Any party or im supporter wey break law no stop campaign adverts 24 hours to election don commit crime and e go pay maximum fine of N500,000.

If na media house commit di offence, e dey equal to say na im senior officers commit di offence.

Therefore, di company go pay maximum fine of N1,000,000 ; and if na individual, e go still pay maximum fine of N1,000,000 or chill for prison for six months or both.

Aside from how long campaigns go last and wen exactly e must to end, wetin be all di oda does and don’t wey all political parties and dia supporters must abide to according to di Nigeria law wey di Electoral Act 2022 give?

No abusive words for campaign Section 92

E dey against di law to use abusive words or language weda “directly or indirectly” against any religion, ethnicity, or tribe wey go hurt dia feeling during di political campaigns.

E no dey allowed for any party or im supporters to use any kai language wey go provoke violent reaction or emotions during campaign.

Venues for campaign

E get some kain places wey e no ever day permitted to do political campaign, rally or procession.

Section 92 (3) say: “Places wey be for religious worship, police stations, and public offices no go dey used — (a) for political campaigns, rallies and processions; or Conduct for political rallies and processions.”

Every party get right to campaign

Di Act give right to every single political party and dia candidates to do rallies, procession at any time dem wish as long as na for dia “constitutional political purpose.

According to Electoral Act, 2022 No. 13 A 393 (b) e against di law “to promote, propagate or attack political parties, candidates or dia programmes or ideologies.”

Diafore, no political party or candidate dey allowed to use Masquerade for any political purpose.

E against di law for any part to train, organise or give weapon to agbero or area boyz for dem to use to forcefully promote dia political agenda.

If any kasala burst sake of venue dey clash, Section 91 (4) say, police no get right to use force, but e must to settle di mata by wit di two parties involved.

Penalty for preventing odas from campaigning

Di electoral authorities get some punishment for any party or candidate break di law by trying to prevent odas from doing dia campaign in peace.

Any party or candidate wey commit di offence for Section 92 you chop di following punishment:

If na candidate, e go pay maximum fine of N1,000,000 or go prison for 12 months.

If na political party, commit, e chop fine of N2,000,000 if n aim first time, and N1,000,000 for any oda offence wey e commit later.

If you dey guilty of giving moral support to break di law for section 92, weda as one pesin or as group of pipo, you go either pay N500,000 or go prison for three years or both.

If you by force or violence you directly or indirectly during political campaign make pesin to support or stop to support a political party you don commit offence be dat.

Section 93 (2a) say if you di offender na candidate, one pesin or group of pipo, ya punishment na maximum fine of N1,000,000 or prison for 12 months; (2b) say if you be political party, fine of N2,000,000 go first comot from your pocket, if you commit di offence again, you go pay N500,000.

How security suppose behave

Di Electoral Act 2022 no forget about di mata of security or how security officers suppose behave.

Every political party get di right to enjoy police protection during dia rallies and procession and di Commissioner of Police for each state and di federal capital Territory dey expected to provide am.

Accordingly, Section 91 (2) say, any policeman or security official wey no get official posting to a particular rally or procession no get any business to dey dia.

Again, di Act, Section 91 (3), draw ear give police and security agency, to remind dem say no mata di power wey oda laws give dem, like di Police Act, Public Order Act or any oda law, dia only work for political rally no pass to make sure say dem do peacefully and properly.

State media and political campaign

No candidate or political party get di right to use di kontri property – including media, to im advantage or di disadvantage of oda candidates or party

Media houses weda na goment get am abi na private company, dey expected to give equal time to all political parties or candidates during similar hours as long as dem pay di moni wey dem suppose pay.

If na newspaper kwanu? Dem dey expected to give equal coverage to all political parties.

Media companies wey no obey dia law don commit offence and e go face penalty for not giving equal time to every party or candidate.

Section 95 (6a) say, public media, go pay fine of N2,000,000 for di first time and N5,000,000 if e repeat am.

E no end dia o! Section 95 (6b) say principal officers plus oda officers of di media house, go chop fine of N1,000,000 or chill for prison for six months.

Finally, e no dey allowed to do campaign or political broadcast wey base on religion, tribe or interest of one section sake of opposing or promoting any particular political party.

If na one pesin or group of pipo commit dis offence na maximum fine of N1,000,000 or prison for 12 months or both.