By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned politicians and political parties against turning the build-up to the 2027 general election into a platform for threats, hate speech and intimidation, cautioning that offenders could face heavy fines and imprisonment.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over inflammatory comments and alleged threats by political actors in different parts of the country as political parties begin positioning for the next general election.
INEC Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said political campaigns must be driven by ideas and policies rather than language capable of provoking violence or instilling fear among voters.
According to him, the Electoral Act 2026 prohibits the use of abusive, intemperate, slanderous or inflammatory language capable of injuring ethnic, religious, tribal or sectional sentiments or provoking violent reactions.
He said political rhetoric becomes a matter of electoral intimidation when it goes beyond criticism and political disagreement to include threats of violence, coercion, hate speech or other forms of pressure intended to influence voters, candidates or election officials.
Oketola said a candidate found guilty of violating the relevant provisions of the law could face a fine of up to ₦5 million or imprisonment for a maximum of 12 months.
Political parties, he added, could face stiffer financial penalties, with a ₦10 million fine prescribed for an initial offence and an additional ₦2 million for every subsequent violation.
However, the INEC spokesman explained that the commission could not tackle political violence and intimidation alone, stressing that the enforcement of law and order during campaigns also rests heavily on the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies.
He said INEC would continue monitoring political campaigns and ensuring compliance with the code of conduct governing political parties, including issuing queries and taking administrative actions against erring parties where necessary.
Oketola also called on journalists and media organisations to strengthen their watchdog role by exposing politicians who deploy incendiary language.
Traditional and religious leaders, he said, must equally use their influence to discourage politicians and their supporters from promoting violence or division.
The commission’s warning follows a series of controversial political statements across the country, with some office holders and party leaders accused of threatening opponents, voters and residents over their political choices ahead of the 2027 elections.
Several of the incidents have attracted condemnation from civil society organisations, human rights groups and opposition figures, while some have also drawn the attention of law enforcement authorities.
INEC maintained that political competition must not be allowed to create an atmosphere of fear or discourage citizens from freely exercising their voting rights.
The commission said the success of the 2027 elections would depend not only on its preparations but also on the commitment of political parties, security agencies, the media, community leaders and citizens to peaceful and issue-based campaigns.
“Political campaigns should be platforms of competing ideas, not theatres of war,” Oketola said.
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