…INEC reiterates commitment to monitor activities of parties.

Ahead of 2023 General Elections, political parties have signed the peace accord to abide by the rules and regulations guiding campaign activities and elections, as INEC reiterates its commitment to monitor activities of parties.
This was made known during the signing of the Peace Accord organized by the National Peace Committee (NPC), chaired by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar in Abuja.

INEC chairman, Professor Mohamoud Yakubu in his goodwill pointed out that, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and in the Commission’s determination to play the role of a regulator, it will vigorously monitor compliance to ensure that parties shun abusive, intemperate or slanderous language as well as insinuations or innuendoes likely to provoke a breach of the peace during the electioneering campaigns.
He also noted that the Commission will also closely monitor compliance with the limits on campaign spending under the Electoral Act.

“Political parties and candidates should study and familiarise themselves with the electoral legal framework to avoid any infraction of the law and the unhappy consequences that will follow any act of misdemeanour”.

“The Electoral Act 2022 provides for campaign in public by political parties to commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day. Accordingly, campaign by political parties for the 2023 General Election officially commenced yesterday Wednesday 28th September 2022. This will continue until 24 hours before polling day i.e. 23rd February 2023 for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) and 9th March 2023 for State elections (Governorship and Houses of Assembly)”.

“Every constituency is important. Every election is important. Therefore, the commitment to peaceful and issue-based electioneering campaign should resonate beyond the 18 Party Chairmen and Presidential candidates present here today. It is not enough to simply sign the Peace Accord. What is more important is to abide by its letter and spirit. You should similarly pass the message to all your candidates, members and supporters across the country for compliance. This will be your own way of showing appreciation for the work of the NPC and an affirmation of your contribution to electoral peace in Nigeria.

“You may recall that, twice in 2015 and 2019, political parties and candidates have committed themselves to peaceful elections by signing the national Peace Accord organised by the NPC. The success of the national peace accord at the national level for General Election led to demands by stakeholders for the devolution of the same effort to major off-cycle elections at State level. In response, the NPC organised the peace accord ahead of the Governorship elections in Edo in September 2020 and subsequently in four more elections. The result is not only the peaceful conduct of these elections, but the process keeps improving one election after another”, he added.

The Chairman also thanked the convener and chairman of NPC Excellency General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and members of the Committee, for its partnership with INEC for the conduct of a peaceful elections nationwide.

Present at the signing are: Chairmen of Political Parties, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and other Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Presidential Candidates for the 2023 General Election, the Inspector General of Police and Heads of Security Agencies.