Nigeria’s former electoral commission chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, has warned that the surge in premature political campaigns could undermine preparations for the country’s 2027 general elections.
Speaking at an INEC roundtable on Wednesday in Abuja, Jega called early campaigning “an undesirable aberration” that weakens democratic institutions and gives unfair advantage to candidates who openly flout the law.
“The consequences are enormous. Premature campaigns fuel political rivalry, distract incumbents from governance, escalate spending, and in Nigeria’s context, heighten ethno-religious polarisation,” he said.
Jega criticised the widespread use of billboards, media adverts, and state resources by incumbents and allied groups to promote themselves years before the campaign window opens. He said many of these activities also breach campaign finance laws through “dubious” third-party organisations.
To tackle the issue, he recommended stronger legal definitions of campaigning, harsher penalties for violations, and mechanisms to hold both candidates and political parties accountable for activities carried out on their behalf. He also pressed for the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal to enforce compliance.
The former INEC chairman urged Nigeria’s anti-corruption bodies, EFCC and ICPC, to investigate the funding sources of premature campaigns, noting that similar enforcement in countries like India and Mexico had helped safeguard electoral integrity.
