The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force have warned politicians against making threats and inflammatory comments ahead of the 2027 elections.
INEC said the Electoral Act allows it to sanction political parties and candidates that breach campaign rules, while the police described incitement as a criminal offence and vowed to arrest and prosecute offenders.
Concerns have grown over comments by several politicians, including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who warned against political defections while referring to the violence of the First Republic.
Former NNPP BoT Secretary Buba Galadima also caused controversy after urging voters to attend polling units with “bottles and jerrycans of kerosene.”
Other controversial remarks were reported in the FCT, Borno, Ebonyi and Yobe states.
INEC said political campaigns should be “platforms of competing ideas, not theatres of war.”
The police also promised a crackdown, with Force PRO Anietie Iniedu saying, “Incitement is a criminal offence and we will not spare anyone trying to heat up the politics with inciteful comments.”
Civil society groups and lawyers have urged authorities to go beyond warnings and prosecute offenders, warning that political threats could fuel violence, reduce voter turnout and weaken the credibility of the 2027 elections.
