By Idris Umar, Abuja

The presidential and National Assembly campaigns will start today, September 28,  while that of governorship and State Assembly candidates will start on October 12 as stipulated in the timetable and schedule of activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Part of the guidelines for the activities is the avoidance of
abusive language and acts likely to provoke violence or emotions in their campaigns for 2023 general election.

“The commission will continue to adhere to set timelines in carrying out its activities,” he said.

Speaking  on Tuesday in INEC secretariat in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, Dr Joseph Chukwu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ebonyi reiterated that  INEC would not condone any act of violence or hooliganism in the Presidential and National Assembly campaigns. He spoke at a meeting with chairmen and leaders of the 18 registered political parties in the state, urging the political parties to ensure that their campaigns complied with the rules and regulations guiding the campaign period.
He stated that candidates in the election should guard against using foul language during their campaigns, adding that political parties must adhere to financing regulations and limits.
He affirmed that governorship and state House of Assembly campaigns would not commence on Wednesday but on October 12.
He warned political parties not to allow their candidates for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections to embark on political campaigns.
He called on political parties to strictly adhere to Part 5, Section 92 of the 2022 Electoral Act, which says “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.
“Shall not use abusive, intenperament,  slanderous or base language, insinuations, or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reactions or emotions during political campaigns.
” Masquerades shall not be employed or used by any political party, aspirant or candidate during political campaigns.
“Places designated for religious worships, police stations and public offices shall not be used for campaigns, rallies, processions or to promote, propagate or attack political parties, candidates or their programmes and ideologies.”
The REC admonished the party leaders to ensure that their political parties, and their national assembly and presidential candidates run issue-based campaigns.
He said that the commission would sanction political parties that contravened any section of the Electoral Act.
“I wish to further urge you to warn your members, candidates and their supporters against indulging in other activities that are likely to instigate violence during campaigns by political parties.
” Such actions include destruction and or defacing campaign billboards and posters of candidates and denial of political parties access to public facilities for rallies.
“Scheduling of political rallies by two or more political parties the same day at the same venue close to each other,” he added.
Chukwu further warned that nobody whose name did not appear in the list of candidates released recently by the commission should be seen campaigning as a candidate in any part of the state.
“This is Ebonyi and all of us are brothers and sisters; we assure you of a credible, free, fair, transparent and all-inclusive election in the state in 2023,” the REC said.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed the oresidential campaign kick off  of its candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu indefinitely.

Our correspondent reports that the crisis that trailed the list of members of the Campaign Council may have forced the party to postpone indefinitely its earlier planned Peace Walk and Prayers to flag off it campaign programme.
In a statement made available to newsmen late on Monday, Chairman of the APC National Campaign Council and governor of Plateau state, Simon Lalong said the event would now hold an a later date.
He said the postponement was done to include many other stakeholders who would want to be part of the campaign team.
Lalong wrote; “Recall that we had earlier earmarked a peace walk and prayers for Wednesday, September 28, 2022, to  officially kick-off our campaigns for the 2023 Presidential Elections. We had also announced that the members of the Campaign Council report at the Campaign Headquarters on that day to collect their letters of appointments. 

“However, due to the expansion of the list to accommodate more stakeholders and interests within the APC family, we have decided to adjust the time-table of these activities in order to ensure everyone is on board before activities officially commence. Consequently, the activities earlier announced for the 28th of September will no longer hold.

“As the ruling and most attractive party in Nigeria, we understand the sacrifices and understanding of our teeming members who are more than willing to volunteer themselves for this great task ahead. It also shows the enormous love that the party members have for our candidates. 
“A new date and time-table of events will be announced soon”.
Many party stakeholders have been complaining that they were ignored in the composition of the Campaign Council, insisting it was lopsided.