The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo on Friday warned political parties and their aspirants to pull down campaign billboards, posters and jingles being aired on television and Radio stations in the state.
INEC said the warning was because the ban on election campaigns had not been lifted.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Anugbum Onuoha, disclosed at an Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting in Benin.
The ICCES meeting which was co-chaired by the state INEC REC and the state Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye, had in attendance, heads of other security agencies in the state.
Speaking further, Onuoha said “lf you look at the Edo election timetable, it says that commencement of campaign in public by political parties will be on April 24.
“But what is happening in this state right now, is that all the political parties are campaigning in public not private.
“If you go round the town, you see campaign billboards, posters and jingles of aspirants not even candidates.
“We have held a meeting with the Inter-Party Advisory Council Nigeria (IPAC) in Edo on this issue but they have clearly not stopped.
“So I thought I should bring the issue here for us to proffer collective solutions so that nobody will be accused of supporting party A or B,” he said.
According to him, “we are going to hold a press conference to inform the general public and the political parties that what is happening is in total violation of the electoral law.
“And INEC will not fail to sanction any party which goes ahead to campaign after the warning,” he added.
Also Speaking, the co-chair of ICCES and the state Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye, also emphasized the need for political parties to play by the rules.
Adegboye urged the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to be alive to its responsibility by carrying out enlightenment campaigns on election matters to make their work easier.