The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties to adhere strictly to the Electoral Act as amended during the 2023 electioneering process.
Dr. Alalibo Johnson, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Cross River, made the appeal at a meeting in Calabar on Thursday.
According to the REC, political parties are expected to observe the threshold of campaign expenditure as provided by law under sections 87 to 89 of the electoral Act 2022, as INEC will not condone the violation of these provisions.
While noting that campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly would commence on Sept. 28, he said Political parties must avoid the use of foul language among others.
According to him, “campaign which commences in the public from September 28” 2022, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections nationwide, will be expected to follow the law strictly.
“Political parties and politicians must avoid the use of foul language, attack or use of force on opposition parties/candidates, employment of private security organizations by whatever name called or in whatever guise, violent activities of any kind and other electoral offenses.”
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He disclosed that the Election and Political Parties Monitoring Department (EPM) of the commission was poised to track such in their campaign tracking activities.
Meanwhile, Johnson has disclosed that there were still more than 90,000 uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The REC reiterated the need for Political Parties to mobilize their members and other stakeholders to collect their PVCs.
The political parties who spoke through the chairman of the Young Progressives Party, Mr. Anthony Attah, promised that they would work with the commission to ensure a free, fair, and credible poll in 2023.
17 parties in the state, including APC and PDP, attended the meeting.