The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has faulted the ban by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on resumption of campaigns before the new date fixed for the commencement of the general election.
The leading opposition party said the administrative prohibition violated the Electoral Law which states that campaigns should stop 24 hours to election.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professsor Mahmood Yakubu, following the shift in the date of the general election announced that campaigns would no longer be tolerated before the new date.
He made the declaration while answering questions during INEC’s meeting with stakeholders in Abuja over the shift in the date.
But faulting the order, PDP said it contravened the Electoral Law.
It directed its members across the country to await further directives on the issue.
The statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Kola Ologobondiyan.
“PDP, after due consideration of the provisions of the Electoral Act, is set to re-open its open campaigns consequent upon the postponement of Presidential and National Assembly elections by INEC from the earlier scheduled date of Feb. 16 to Feb. 23.
“The party rejects the wrongful administrative prohibition of open campaigns by INEC, holding that such administrative pronouncement was erroneous, directly in conflict with the provision of the Electoral Act and is not backed by any other law in our country.
“Our position is predicated on the clear provision of section 99 (1) of the Electoral Act which stipulated that ‘for the purposes of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day’.
“The clear import of this provision, in the current situation, is that given the postponement of the election to Feb. 23, the 24 hours requirement for closure of all public campaigning falls at midnight of Feb. 21.
“The PDP reminds INEC that whenever its administrative pronouncement conflicts with the Electoral Act, such administrative pronouncement must bow before the law.”
