Edo Polls: INEC Condemns Starting Campaigns
Following the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Electoral Act, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Edo State, cautioned politicians against beginning their campaigns before April 24.
Onuoha stated this at a news conference at his office in Benin. He restated the need that the 16 political parties vying for the September 21, 2024, election must conclude their campaigns by September 19.
The REC stated that commission personnel had seen the primary and that the report would be presented to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman, in Abuja.
Onuoha noted that the commission was yet to lift the suspension on the campaign, noting that parties and candidates were expected to begin campaigning on April 24.
He said political parties were not expected to campaign publicly for the primary election as it is an internal affair of the parties.
He said: “Politicians have started campaigning in Edo State, when INEC has not lifted ban on public campaigns. The politicians must bring down their billboards and remove their banners and posters. The politicians must stop disrupting the peace of Edo State with their campaigns.
“I earlier met with leaders of the 16 participating political parties in Edo State, and told them that it was wrong to be campaigning before April 24, 2024.”
He added that the role of INEC in the primary election was to monitor and supervise proceedings and are not expected to announce results as primaries are mainly an internal affair of the parties.
