The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned politicians and political parties that using abusive, inflammatory or threatening language during campaigns could lead to heavy fines or imprisonment under the Electoral Act 2026.
INEC also urged the media to expose politicians who make statements capable of inciting violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to its Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, gave the warning in a telephone interview on Sunday.
He said campaign statements become electoral intimidation when they go beyond normal political debate and involve threats, hate speech, coercion or calls for violence.
“Under the Nigerian legal framework, rhetoric becomes punishable intimidation when it incites ethnic, religious, or regional hostility through abusive, base, or slanderous language explicitly designed to provoke violent emotions or target specific groups,” Oketola said, citing Section 96 of the Electoral Act 2026.
He also quoted the law as stating: “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.”
Oketola added that the law prohibits the use of “abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language, insinuations, innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions” during political campaigns.
According to him, politicians cross the line into intimidation when they threaten voters, opponents or electoral officials with violence, physical harm, economic punishment or social exclusion because of their political choices.
He said campaigns should not create fear that could discourage people from voting or prevent particular groups from participating in elections.
Oketola said INEC is an election management body, not a security agency, but noted that the Electoral Act gives security agencies specific responsibilities during political rallies.
He said INEC is also empowered to monitor campaigns and enforce compliance with the Code of Conduct for Political Parties.
“Beyond inter-agency security coordination, INEC is statutorily empowered to monitor political campaigns and enforce compliance with the Code of Conduct for Political Parties. The Commission can issue formal queries and sanction non-compliant parties within its administrative limits,” he said.
On the penalties for offenders, Oketola said Section 96(7) of the Electoral Act provides for fines and imprisonment.
“Any candidate who commits these offences is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of N5,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months,” he said.
“A non-compliant political party is liable to a fine of N10,000,000 in the first instance, and N2,000,000 for each subsequent offence,” Oketola stated.
He said protecting the integrity of the 2027 elections would require the cooperation of INEC, security agencies, the media, traditional rulers and religious leaders.
Oketola also urged the media to expose politicians who make inflammatory statements and called on traditional and religious leaders to use their influence to discourage political violence.
Politicians risk N5m fine, jail for campaign offences – INEC