The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River State, Dr. Frankland Briyai, has warned political parties and individual politicians against public campaign.
He said those caught in the act risked severe penalties in line with relevant laws.
Briyai said this when he had a meeting with all the registered political parties in his office in Calabar, explaining that any form of political campaign by groups or individuals before the stipulated time might jeopardise the ambitions of the political parties they represented.
He said there were reports that parties were now pasting posters and billboards thereby conveying political messages towards next year’s elections.
“This is against the provisions of the Electoral Act,” he said.
He directed that all posters and billboards displayed to promote the interest of any politician towards the 2019 elections should be removed immediately.
Briyai informed the parties that INEC had approved additional 10 registration centres and another 10 mobile registration centres that would move from one community to another to register the people.
Speaking at the meeting, state Chairman of Accord Party (AP), Mr. Eno Enang, pointed out that most of the posters and billboards displayed in public were always done by individuals or groups and not political parties.
The state Chairman, of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Pastor Sunday Michael, gave the assurance that the council would ensure that all political parties obeyed instructions from the commission.
