The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State has issued a directive for the immediate removal of campaign billboards, posters, and jingles associated with political parties and their aspirants. The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Anugbum Onuoha, announced this decision during an Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held in Benin.
The commission emphasized that the ban on election campaigns had not been lifted, thus necessitating the removal of all campaign materials. Anugbum Onuoha, while co-chairing the ICCES meeting alongside the state Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye, highlighted the presence of campaign billboards, posters, and jingles in the state despite the stipulated timetable for the commencement of public campaign activities by political parties on April 24.
During the meeting, Onuoha expressed concern over the premature public campaigning by political parties, noting the display of campaign materials for aspirants who have not been declared as official candidates. He also mentioned previous engagements with the Inter-Party Advisory Council Nigeria (IPAC) in Edo to address the issue, but observed that the non-compliance persisted despite the discussions.
The INEC official further stressed the need for collaborative solutions among the committee members to prevent any perception of favoritism towards particular political parties. This directive reinforces INEC’s commitment to upholding the electoral process and ensuring fair competition among all political stakeholders in Edo State.
