The Independent National Electoral Commission has accused political parties and their candidates as well as officials of violating the Section 92 of the Electoral Act prohibiting the use of abusive languages.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Committee on Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, who revealed this added that the commission was already compiling the names of the defaulters for prosecution.
Okoye described the situation as worrisome, adding that the National Peace Committee headed by former Head of State, Abdusalami Abubakar, and some civil society organisations were also monitoring the violations.
According to Okoye, the commission would not hesitate to prosecute those found guilty after investigation and arrest by the appropriate security agencies.
At the commencement of campaigns, INEC had referred political parties and candidates to the provisions of Section 92 of the Act.
Specifically, subsections 1 and 2 read, “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings; (2) abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuations or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.”
Some me candidates, party officials, campaign spokespersons and supporters had been attacking one another unrestrained during the campaigns.
Okoye stated, “The commission is concerned and worried at the language being employed by some of the political parties, their candidates, officials and supporters in their campaigns.
“Section 92 (of the Electoral Act) provides that abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuation or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns. The law prescribes penalties for violation, including fines and terms of imprisonment.
“The commission is tracking the violations; the National Peace Committee is tracking the violations; civil society groups and organisations are tracking the violations. The commission will continue to evaluate the situation and will take appropriate action in terms of prosecution upon investigation and arrest by the appropriate agencies and organs of government.”
Okoye said the commission and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had met several times with political parties and their leaders over the issue.
“We must on no account, either wittingly or unwittingly, allow personal attacks to degenerate and lead to a breakdown of law and order,” he added.
In December 2022, INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed that the commission had recorded 52 violations of the Electoral Act.
Yakubu told media executives at an interactive meeting on December 3, 2022, that “As of November 9, 2022, barely two months out of the five months’ campaign period, we had tracked 52 incidents involving the use of abusive, inciting languages, denial of access to public facilities, destruction of campaign materials and even physical attacks, resulting in some cases to fatalities.
“For us, this is not a good omen. And I say this on several occasions, including at the last emergency meeting we had with security agencies, that a peaceful campaign heralds a peaceful election.”
Both the ruling All Progressives Congress APC and the Peoples Democratic Party PDP have agreed and supported the INEC’S decision to carry out its threats, but in different tones.
The Director of Publicity for the APC, Bala Ibrahim, said the APC said it was in support of INEC’s decision but was quick to defen two key spokespersons of its presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo and Femi Fani-Kayode, who had been accused to have violated any of the peace accords signed by all political parties.
Ibrahim said it was a misconceptions to accuse both Keyamo and Fani-Kayode as being culpable
He said INEC’s decision “is in line with the peace accord agreements. We are against anything that will be injurious, promote hate speech, violence and bring the credibility of the election, before and after, to disrepute. The APC is for progress and not for violence. The commission must treat this issue very well and be seen to be taking action.”
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had also fined two broadcast stations for airing comments made by the APC presidential candidate, which it said violated the broadcast code.
Ibrahim said, “In what way have they broken the peace agreement? These are people who have not lampooned the opposition in an uncivilised manner. Whatever is being said by the spokespersons for the party or presidential candidate, they always do it in conformity with the principles of public speech.
“Keyamo is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and he knows the implications. Fani-Kayode is already meeting with the Department of State Services In connection with the allegation levelled against him. But we have not seen them invite Atiku Abubakar when he said there were plans to overthrow the government and when he also alleged that there were plans to do something undemocratic.”
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, says his party welcomed the INEC’s intention to deal with political parties and candidates using foul or inciting language during campaigns.
Ologunagba said his party and its candidates had always focused on issues and that the decision by the umpire to compile a list of offenders was a welcome development, adding that “It is a welcome development if INEC ensures that sanctions on violation of the provisions of Section 92 are enforced, so that we can begin to sanitise our electoral process. Nigerians are interested in the issues and our party and candidates have stayed on the issues.n
“In any of our campaigns, we have never mentioned names unlike the All Progressives Congress that keeps saying, ‘Atiku can’t do it. Atiku this, Atiku that’. Our candidate is calm and presidential in his utterances, and that is what Nigeria needs at the moment.
“Ours is not about name-calling; we are the victims of attacks, verbal and physical, by the APC in Kaduna, Borno and Ondo states. These are on record.”
