The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised fresh concerns over the mounting of campaign-style billboards and posters by politicians across major cities, warning that such actions amount to a violation of the Electoral Act.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute (TEI), Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, sounded the warning on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ roundtable on the challenges of premature political campaigns.
According to him, early campaigns are increasingly disguised as gestures of “appreciation” or “philanthropy” and are now visible through billboards, social media promotions, and public gatherings.
In recent weeks, campaign posters projecting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term have surfaced in Dutse, Abuja, Lagos, and other cities. Similar billboards featuring former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and figures from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have also been sighted, particularly in northern states.
The next general election is scheduled for 2027. INEC reiterated that Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 strictly prohibits political campaigns from commencing earlier than 150 days before polling day and requires that they end 24 hours before voting begins.