The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised fresh concerns over the growing culture of premature political campaigns in Nigeria, saying that unless urgent reforms are enacted, the trend could distort fair competition and undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
While peaking at a stakeholders’ roundtable on Wednesday, 10 th September, 2025 in Abuja, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, decried what he described as Nigeria’s “perpetual election mode,” where politicians and their supporters engage in campaigns long before the official timetable.
He reminded political actors that under Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, campaigns are only allowed 150 days before election day and end 24 hours prior to voting. He however noted that while the law prescribes mild sanctions for late campaigns close to election day, it remains silent on early campaign violations. “This legal lacuna makes it difficult for the Commission to sanction breaches,” Yakubu said. “The consequences are enormous, from undermining campaign finance monitoring to granting unfair advantage to violators and weakening respect for the law.”
The Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, described premature campaigns as “a creeping danger” to Nigeria’s democracy, pointing to political use of cultural festivals, philanthropy, and religious events as veiled campaign strategies.
Delivering the keynote address, former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, warned that unchecked early campaigns threaten electoral integrity, entrench impunity, and compromise the level playing field. “Premature campaigns are not just technical violations,” Jega said. “They confer undue advantage and normalize illegality.” He urged lawmakers to follow international examples from Australia, Mexico, the Philippines, and India, where offenders face heavy fines or jail terms.
His recommendations included clearly defining premature campaign offences in the law, holding parties accountable for third-party campaigns, empowering anti-corruption agencies to track campaign financing, and establishing an Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal ahead of 2027.
Other speakers at the event included Hon. Adebayo Balogun (House Committee on Electoral Matters), Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun (represented by CP Abayomi Sogunle), Malam Yusuf Dantalle (Chairman, IPAC), and Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo (DG, ARCON). Panelists called for greater civic education, synergy among regulators, and strong political will to enforce compliance.