Edo State INEC Warns Against Premature Campaigning

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, has issued a stern warning to aspirants and political parties to halt all campaign activities for the governorship election immediately or face sanctions.

In a statement released on Monday in Benin City, the REC emphasized that the commission had not lifted the suspension on campaign activities, specifying that parties and candidates should commence campaigning only from April 24.

Onuoha stressed that campaigning for the primary election should not be conducted publicly as it is an internal party affair.

He urged political parties and aspirants to remove billboards, signposts, and advertisements from television and newspapers.

“I am calling on the aspirants and the 16 political parties participating in the September 21 election to comply with the timetable of the election. They are not supposed to campaign publicly for the primary election.

It is against the law,” Onuoha stated.

He further warned that failure to comply with the directive would result in sanctions. Onuoha clarified that his role is to compile a report and submit it to the commission’s headquarters, not to announce primary election results.

“We were present at the APC primary election. We saw what happened, and we will present our report to Abuja,” Onuoha concluded.