Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, has decried the continuous disregard to the electoral laws by political parties and politicians who engage in open campaign even before the stipulated time for the commencement of the open campaign for the off season governorship poll in the state.
Onuoha, on Monday, in his first engagement with the media since his assumption of office in January, told those involved in this illegality to desist or be liable to sanctions.
As a first step towards adhering to the laid down rules and regulations, the REC told those erecting campaign billboards to stop forthwith and ensure that they dismantle the ones already erected immediately.
Likewise, he warned newspaper outfits and broadcast stations to stop advertisements in that regard disclosing that open campaign would commence by April 24th as it is fixed in the INEC timetable.
“I am calling on the aspirants and the 16 political parties to take part in the September 21 election to comply with the timetable of the election. They are not supposed to campaign publicly for the primary election. It is against the law.
“I will urge them to pull down their banners, and billboards and stop running jingles on radio. They should also stop television and newspaper adverts. If they do not comply with this directive, we would have no other option than to sanction them,” Onuoha submitted.
In conclusion, the REC asserted that he was present at the Lushville Hotel, Benin venue of the All Progressives Congress(APC) gubernatorial primaries result collation and announcement on Saturday and will send the details of what transpired to his Principal, the INEC Chairman as his duties stipulate.
