Human rights lawyer, and activist, Femi Falana has called upon the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop all political parties from campaigning for the presidential and governorship elections scheduled to hold in January 2027, saying that campaigns has brought governance to a standstill while also encouraging criminal activities.

Falana cited section 98(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that: “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”

His statement reads: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed January 16, 2027, as the new date for the presidential and national assembly elections. The commission also fixed February 6, 2027, as the date for governorship and state houses of assembly election;

It is common knowledge that some political parties have commenced political campaigns even though elections will not hold until 10 months’ time. The governance of the country has since been abandoned for the celebration of defection by elected governors and legislators as well as other forms of political campaigns;

The abandonment of governance for political campaigns has directly led to widespread kidnapping, and the reckless killing of citizens by terrorists, bandits, and other armed gangs, weak accountability and deep poverty. It is sad to note that while huge public funds are wasted on illegal political campaigns, the authorities of the federal capital territory and the majority of the states have refused to pay counterpart funds to access the matching grant of N98 billion in the account of the Universal Basic Education Commission;

It has, therefore, become pertinent to draw the attention of such political parties to section 98(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that: “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”

He therefore called on INEC and security agencies to stop the political parties from further campaigns until the time specified by the law. “We are compelled to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service, to halt further political campaigns in strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2006”, he concluded.

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