INEC warns politicians, supporters against intimidation, hate speech
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday warned politicians and their supporters against bullying, cyber sleuthing, and hate speech during electioneering campaigns.
Dr. Hale Longpet, Kogi Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), gave the warning during the Commission's engagement with representatives of political parties, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community leaders in Lokoja, Kogi.
Supreme reports that the forum was one of series of stakeholders' engagements and consultations preparatory organised by the commission towards the conduct of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
The commission engaged stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including electioneering campaigns, schedules of PVC distribution, security, and election officials' conduct before and during elections in the state.
Longpet said that the warning became necessary because INEC was committed to delivering free, successful, and credible elections in 2023.
"Already, we are prosecuting an election offender arising from the use of foul language and hate speech for committing an election offense contrary to and punishable under sections 91 to 97 of the new electoral law."
"As a commission, we will not condone thuggery, the use of abusive language, or cyber bullying of political opponents during electioneering campaigns for the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Kogi."
"This commission has been consistent in mapping out measures and procedures that will make the entire electoral process seamless for the voters, " he said
The REC said that INEC embarked on an exercise tagged "expansion of vote access to polling units" aimed at ensuring that the voter has a pleasant experience during the PVC collection and election day.
He said that the commission has made PVC distribution so easy by taking them to the ward level, where people can conveniently pick up their voter cards without the cost of transportation or other logistical problems.
Longpet pledged to address the issues of terrain and difficult-to-reach communities in the borderlines of the Ibaji local government area, armed conflict in Bassa LGA, alleged misconduct and compromise of INEC electoral officers in the local government areas, and inadequate logistics and bottlenecks.
Responding, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) expressed satisfaction with the measures taken by INEC towards achieving electoral sanity in the electoral process toward the 2023 polls.
Also, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community leaders pledged to convey INEC's message of peace to the voters in their domains and expressed their shared resolve to end the culture of violence associated with previous elections in Kogi.
Supreme reports that 12 political parties under the banner of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), traditional rulers, religious and community leaders as well as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) attended the interactive session
The political parties in attendance include Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), NRM, Accord Party, APGA, APN, PRP, APC, APP, SDP, Action Alliance (AA), and Africa Action Congress (AAC), amongst others.
