The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to political actors and political parties against the use of abusive, intemperate, or inflammatory language during campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission cautioned that offenders risk severe financial penalties and up to a year of imprisonment under the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Speaking during a telephone interview on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 4:30 PM in Abuja, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Adedayo Oketola, clarified the legal boundaries governing political rhetoric as tension builds across the country over direct threats against dissenting voters.
According to Oketola, political campaign rhetoric crosses the legal line into outright voter intimidation the moment it abandons healthy partisan debate to engage in coercion, hate speech, or threats capable of provoking violence.
Citing Section 96 of the Electoral Act 2026, Oketola emphasized: “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.” He added that the law explicitly bans “abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language, insinuations, innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions” throughout electioneering campaigns.
Highlighting the statutory penalties designed to enforce compliance under Section 96(7) of the Act, the commission outlined the legal sanctions awaiting violators:-
Individual Candidates are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of ₦5,000,000, a 12-month term of imprisonment, or both.
Political Parties are liable to a statutory fine of ₦10,000,000 for a first offense, and ₦2,000,000 for each subsequent violation.
While clarifying that INEC remains an election management body rather than a security agency, Oketola noted that Section 95 of the Electoral Act 2026 empowers security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, to maintain order at political rallies.
He reaffirmed that INEC retains administrative powers to monitor campaigns, issue formal queries, and sanction non-compliant political parties within its mandate.
Oketola called on the media, security agencies, traditional rulers, and religious institutions to actively call out politicians who resort to inflammatory statements, urging all democratic stakeholders to safeguard the integrity of the 2027 electoral process.
