The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday declared as illegal, the Ekiti 2018 governorship election campaigns embarked on by some aspirants and their agents in the state.
The spokesperson of INEC in Ekiti, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, told the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) in Ado Ekiti that all those engaging in such activities would be referred to law enforcement agents.
He said the commission noted that some aspirants have started erecting billboards and opening campaign offices in Ado Ekiti even when the commission has not directed them to do so.
Gbadegesin also expressed disappointment at the manner some aspirants and their agents have been placing advertisements in the media to canvass the choice of certain individuals ahead of the poll.
“At this stage, we want to believe that those involved are ignorant of what the law says. But we want to assure them that any further action after this warning will compel the commission to refer their cases to law enforcers,” the INEC official told NAN.
“People must learn to be obedient on simple legal instructions.
“In the pre-election period that ushered in the present governor who is barely two years in office, this was the way all manner of people started campaigning before the regulatory time frame without any recourse to the commission.
“This did not stop until we reported them to law enforcement agents
“If this crop of politicians or their agents feel they can come around again to cause us sleepless nights, we will be left with no option than to catch up with them and make them to face the consequences of disobeying the law.”
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