The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned political parties and candidates against using abusive, inflammatory or threatening language during campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying offenders could face fines and imprisonment under the Electoral Act 2026.
INEC’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, gave the warning in a telephone interview on Sunday, amid growing concerns over threats allegedly issued by political actors against opponents and voters.
Oketola said political rhetoric becomes electoral intimidation when it moves beyond legitimate political criticism and degenerates into coercion, hate speech, threats of violence or other forms of intimidation intended to influence voters.
He cited Section 96 of the Electoral Act 2026, which prohibits campaign messages capable of inflaming ethnic, religious, tribal or sectional sentiments.
“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,” he said.
The law, according to Oketola, also prohibits “abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language, insinuations, innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions” during political campaigns.
He explained that intimidation could also arise where politicians threaten voters, candidates or electoral officials with physical violence, economic punishment or social exclusion in an attempt to force or suppress political support.
Oketola said campaign activities must not be used to create fear capable of discouraging people from voting or deliberately targeting particular groups of voters.
On enforcement, he clarified that INEC is not a security agency but has statutory responsibilities to monitor campaigns and ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct for Political Parties.
He said Section 95 of the Electoral Act 2026 also provides for the involvement of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies in maintaining security during political campaigns and rallies.
“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,” Oketola said.
He said the law provides penalties for candidates and political parties found guilty of violating the provisions.
“Any candidate who commits these offences is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of ₦5,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months,” he said.
Political parties face a higher financial penalty, with Oketola stating that a party found liable could be fined N10 million for a first offence and N2 million for every subsequent offence.
The INEC spokesman, however, stressed that preventing election-related violence would require cooperation among electoral authorities, security agencies, political actors and other stakeholders.
“The Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies have a clear duty to prevent the breakdown of law and order during political campaigns,” he said.
He also called on the media to expose inflammatory political statements and urged traditional and religious leaders to use their influence to discourage politicians from making statements capable of triggering violence.
The warning comes amid a series of controversial remarks attributed to political figures in different parts of the country as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.
In Osun State, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi was questioned by the police following a viral video in which he was allegedly heard calling on supporters to attack members of the Accord party in Ilesa. Governor Ademola Adeleke subsequently rejected a clarification issued by the senator’s media office and described the comments as a national security threat.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Kuje Area Council Chairman Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo also attracted criticism after reportedly telling residents who did not support the All Progressives Congress to leave the area ahead of the 2027 election. Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the remarks as a call to violence.
In Borno State, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Sainna Buba was reported to have threatened that people who refused to support the APC in 2027 would be flogged, while also warning that those who opposed the party could have a finger broken.
The APC chairman in Yobe State, Mohammed Gadaka, similarly faced public backlash after telling women to leave their husbands if the men prevented them from voting for the APC. He later withdrew the statement following the criticism.
In Kebbi State, Gwandu Local Government Chairman Atiku Ahmad Mandiya was also reported to have told supporters that anyone speaking against Governor Nasir Idris “should be dealt with.”
Meanwhile, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru warned newly inaugurated local government chairmen that they could lose their positions if they failed to deliver their councils to the APC in the 2027 election.
Concerns over political violence have also been highlighted by election-monitoring organisations.
The International Republican Institute reported in a pre-election assessment that civil society monitors documented more than 81 election-related violent incidents in Osun State in the year preceding the August governorship election.
Similarly, the Kimpact Development Initiative recorded 73 election-related violent incidents resulting in 29 deaths in the state ahead of local elections.
Against this backdrop, Oketola urged political actors to treat campaigns as contests of ideas rather than platforms for threats and intimidation.
“Political campaigns should be platforms of competing ideas, not theatres of war,” he said.
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