The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concern over what it described as “premature campaigns” by politicians and political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ roundtable on premature political campaigns organized by the Electoral Institute (TEI) in Abuja, said the trend poses a serious challenge to Nigeria’s electoral system.
Yakubu pointed to a loophole in the Electoral Act 2022 as the main obstacle in addressing the issue. Section 94(1) of the Act permits campaigns only within 150 days before an election, but according to him, “there is no sanction whatsoever concerning breaches for campaigns earlier than 150 days. Here lies the challenge for the Commission.”
He warned that early campaigns undermine INEC’s oversight of campaign finance, noting that politicians, prospective candidates, and third-party groups are already spending huge sums of money that fall outside the Commission’s monitoring period.
Delivering a keynote address, former INEC chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega described premature campaigns as a “serious threat to elections” that erode the credibility of the entire process.
He criticized the use of proxy groups and government officials in advancing early campaigns, insisting that “premature election campaigns are actually being perpetrated by premature democrats.”
Jega proposed that candidates, parties, and especially incumbents should be held vicariously liable and penalized for premature campaigns carried out on their behalf by third parties.
The roundtable also featured presentations from the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, the Inspector General of Police, and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), with contributions from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
In a separate development, INEC has officially recognized the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark.
The Commission’s website now lists Mark as the party’s national chairman, following internal restructuring that produced new national officers to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
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