KEY POINTS

• Premature campaigns are illegal under Nigeria’s Electoral Act.
• Samson Itodo says early politicking undermines governance.
• He urges tougher sanctions for premature campaigns.

The head of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has delivered a sharp rebuke to Nigeria’s political class, warning that the premature campaigns already surfacing ahead of the 2027 general elections are both illegal and corrosive to governance.

Speaking on ARISE News’ “Prime Time” on Thursday, Itodo stressed that the Electoral Act leaves no room for ambiguity—campaign activities cannot start earlier than the stipulated window. Yet, he said, the country already feels as if an election were imminent.

Political elites flouting campaign rules

“It’s as if we’ve got elections this weekend,” Itodo remarked, accusing political actors of abandoning governance for relentless politicking.

“INEC hasn’t issued a timetable. Party primaries haven’t been held. Could you please explain why these actors are already campaigning?

He argued that such early moves expose a deeper problem—the unchecked impunity of the political elite, who he said routinely skirt the rules of engagement. “It’s sad. It just tells you the level of impunity that you’ve got,” he said.

Premature campaigns eroding governance

The Electoral Act stipulates that public campaigning may begin only 150 days before polling and must end 24 hours before the vote.

Despite this, the political scene is already intensifying, with President Bola Tinubu’s billboards adorning Abuja and a prominent alliance forming between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi to contest the incumbent.

INEC has reiterated that these early displays breach Sections 94(1) and 95(1) of the 2022 law. Its spokesman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, underscored that campaigns must follow INEC’s prescribed timetable and regulations.

Tougher sanctions for premature campaigns

When asked about the current $500 fine for early campaigning, Itodo dismissed it as toothless. “It’s not a deterrence,” he said. “We need stiffer sanctions. When premature campaigns become the norm, governance suffers.

His comments land at a politically charged moment, as early electioneering accelerates nearly two years before the official start of the campaign season.

Itodo’s message was clear: without stronger enforcement, the rules meant to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic process risk becoming meaningless ink on paper.