Toba Owojaiye reportingÂ
Benin City, Edo State
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially declared that all campaigns for the 2024 Edo State Governorship election must cease by midnight on Thursday, September 19, 2024. This announcement follows the regulations set forth in Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates that political campaigns conclude 48 hours before election day.
In a press release issued by INEC, and made available to Truth Live News, the Commission emphasized that any further political rallies, processions, or media campaigns conducted by parties in Edo State beyond the deadline will be deemed illegal. The enforcement of this directive is supported by Section 96 of the Electoral Act 2022, which outlines the penalties for non-compliance.
Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, reiterated the importance of adherence to the law. “It is therefore illegal for any political party in Edo State to engage in rallies, processions or media campaigns from midnight today,” he stated.
Furthermore, INEC cautioned that on Election Day, Saturday, September 21, 2024, political parties, candidates, and their supporters are prohibited from wearing campaign attire or carrying campaign materials to polling units.
INEC urged all parties, candidates, and their supporters to comply with the provisions of the law in the lead-up to the election, in order to ensure a peaceful and orderly process.
This critical reminder comes as Edo State voters prepare to head to the polls to elect their next governor in what is expected to be a tightly contested election.
