The Independent National Electoral Commission (lNEC) has given go ahead to political parties participating in the 2019 general elections to resume campaign following the postponement of the presidential and National assembly elections till February 23, 2019.
The commission gave the directive at the end of its management meeting on Monday evening. The commission said all campaigns for the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections end on Thursday by 12 mid- night.
Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, had earlier said no resumption of campaign activities despite the postponement of the presidential and national assembly elections by one week.
“Media organisations are at liberty to accept, publish, broadcast and circulate campaign materials up till midnight of Thursday,” the commission said in a statement issued by Festus Okoye, its director of voter education and publicity.
“Political Parties and their candidates are enjoined to abide by the extant laws governing campaigns.
“The Commission wishes to thank all Nigerians for their understanding regarding the rescheduling of the elections. We appeal to stakeholders to be dispassionate and circumspect in their comments.”
INEC’s decision comes at a time most political parties including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) insisted they were proceeding with campaigns.
The parties argued that the commission did not have right to stop them from campaigning, as the electoral act states campaigns stop “24 hours to election day”.
