The race is officially on.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has dropped the rulebook for the next round of governorship and state assembly campaigns, and parties across the country are already scrambling to align. With billboards going up and convoys warming their engines, INEC says the time for guessing games is over.
The Clock Starts Ticking
INEC announced that campaigns for governorship and state assembly elections will open 150 days to the polls and must close 24 hours before voting day. That gives candidates a tight window to sell their vision, tour wards, and convince voters without crossing the line.
The Commission stressed that all political parties must submit their campaign timetables and rally schedules to state offices at least 14 days in advance. No last-minute surprises. Security agencies will be on standby to ensure rallies do not clash or spill into violence. For candidates who have been waiting in the wings, the signal is clear: mobilize now or get left behind.
What Candidates Can and Cannot Do
The new guidelines read like a warning and a playbook rolled into one.
Campaigns must avoid hate speech, religious incitement, and the use of thugs. INEC banned the use of government funds, public facilities, and state-owned media for partisan advantage. Posters and banners can only go up at designated spaces, and defacing opponents’ materials will attract sanctions.
Door-to-door canvassing is allowed, but candidates must notify police. Night rallies are discouraged, and the use of minors to distribute campaign materials is prohibited. INEC also reminded parties that vote buying, fake news, and AI-generated propaganda will be monitored closely, with offenders facing prosecution.
INEC Warns Against Chaos
Chairman of the Commission said the guidelines are not suggestions. They are the law of the campaign season.
He urged the media to fact-check, civil society to observe, and voters to report violations through INEC’s situation room and toll-free lines. “This is not about noise,” he said. “It is about giving Nigerians a choice without fear.”
With governorship seats and 991 state assembly positions in play, the next few months will test discipline on the campaign trail. INEC’s message is simple: campaign hard, but campaign clean.
