The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a fresh warning to political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 general election, cautioning them against abusive, inflammatory and threatening campaign statements.
The commission said politicians who violate provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 could face heavy financial penalties and imprisonment upon conviction.
Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, disclosed this during a telephone interview on Sunday. He explained that political speech becomes unlawful when it moves beyond legitimate criticism and policy debates into threats, coercion, hate speech or language capable of provoking violence.
According to Oketola, Section 96 of the Electoral Act 2026 prohibits campaign messages that could inflame religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional sentiments.
He explained that political parties and candidates are also prohibited from using abusive, intemperate, slanderous or derogatory language, as well as statements or insinuations capable of triggering violent reactions.
Oketola further identified threats of physical violence, economic retaliation and social exclusion as examples of conduct that could amount to electoral intimidation when used to frighten voters, candidates or election officials.
He said attempts to create an atmosphere of fear that could discourage citizens from voting or participating in the electoral process would also raise serious legal concerns.
While acknowledging that INEC is primarily responsible for managing elections and not providing security, Oketola said the Electoral Act assigns specific responsibilities to security agencies during political campaigns and rallies.
He cited Section 95 of the law, which provides for the involvement of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant security agencies in maintaining order during political activities.
Oketola added that INEC has the statutory responsibility to monitor political campaigns and ensure that political parties comply with the Code of Conduct for Political Parties.
He said the commission can issue queries and impose sanctions on parties that breach applicable rules within its administrative powers.
On the penalties for violations, Oketola said Section 96(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides that a candidate convicted of the offences could be fined up to ₦5 million or sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Political parties found guilty could face a ₦10 million fine for a first offence, followed by a ₦2 million penalty for every subsequent offence, he added.
The INEC official stressed that protecting the credibility of the 2027 elections would require joint action from election authorities, security agencies, political parties, the media and influential community leaders.
He urged security agencies to prevent campaign activities from degenerating into violence, while calling on journalists and media organisations to scrutinise and challenge statements capable of inciting unrest.
Traditional and religious leaders, he added, also have an important role to play in discouraging politicians and their supporters from using rhetoric that could inflame tensions.
The warning comes against the backdrop of several controversial political statements attributed to politicians and political office holders in different parts of Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.
In Osun State, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, representing Osun East, was invited by the Nigeria Police Force for questioning following the circulation of a video in which he was allegedly heard making a threatening statement against members of the Accord Party in Ilesa.
Governor Ademola Adeleke subsequently rejected a clarification issued by Fadahunsi’s media office and described the senator’s reported remarks as a national security concern, while calling for his arrest.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Kuje Area Council Chairman Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo also attracted criticism after reportedly telling residents who did not support the All Progressives Congress (APC) to leave the area ahead of the 2027 election.
Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the statement, describing it as a call to violence.
Similar controversy was reported in Borno State, where Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, was accused of threatening to flog people who refused to support the APC in 2027 and warning that those who opposed the party could have a finger broken.
In Yobe State, APC Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Gadaka came under fire after reportedly urging married women to leave husbands who stopped them from voting for the party.
Gadaka, who spoke to new APC defectors in Nangere, reportedly said he would pay the bride price for women who ended their marriages over political differences. He later withdrew the comments following widespread criticism.
In Kebbi State, Gwandu Local Government Area Chairman Alhaji Atiku Ahmad Mandiya was also reported to have told supporters that people who criticised Governor Nasir Idris should be dealt with.
Meanwhile, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru reportedly warned newly inaugurated local government chairmen that they could lose their positions if they failed to deliver their councils to the APC during the 2027 election.
Concerns over political violence have also featured in pre-election assessments.
The International Republican Institute reported that civil society monitors recorded more than 81 election-related violent incidents in Osun State during the year preceding the state’s governorship election.
A separate Pre-Election Security Risk Assessment by the Kimpact Development Initiative documented 73 election-related violent incidents and 29 deaths in the period leading to local government elections in the state.
Against this backdrop, INEC reiterated the need for political campaigns ahead of the 2027 general election to focus on competing policies and ideas rather than threats and violence.
Oketola said the responsibility for preventing inflammatory campaign rhetoric from escalating into electoral intimidation cannot rest on INEC alone, stressing the importance of cooperation among political actors, security agencies, the media and community leaders.
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