Editorial: INEC must enforce issue-based campaigns, prosecute hate speech, political violence

The decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to lift the ban on campaign activities marks the beginning of another critical phase in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

As political parties, candidates and their supporters begin to mobilise for the elections, there is an urgent need for a new culture of political campaigning, one built around issues, policies, competence and solutions rather than hatred, insults and division.

Nigeria has had enough of campaigns in which politicians spend more time attacking their opponents than explaining what they intend to do for the people.

The lifting of the campaign ban should not be interpreted as a licence for political parties and their supporters to unleash hate speech, ethnic provocation, religious intolerance, threats, misinformation or incitement.

This campaign must be different.
Politicians seeking the mandate of Nigerians should tell the people exactly what they intend to do if elected.

Nigerians deserve to hear concrete programmes on security, education, healthcare, employment, agriculture, infrastructure, electricity, the economy, youth development, poverty reduction and the cost of living.

They should also explain how they intend to achieve their promises, where the money will come from and how their administrations will be held accountable.

Unfortunately, political campaigns in Nigeria have too often degenerated into contests of insults and character assassination. When some politicians cannot defend their records or present convincing ideas, they resort to attacking the personality, ethnicity, religion or family of their opponents.

This is dangerous for democracy.
Supporters are sometimes even worse. Armed with social media platforms, some political loyalists deliberately spread false information, threaten opponents and promote messages capable of inflaming ethnic or religious tensions.

Such conduct should not be tolerated.

The relevant law-enforcement agencies must be prepared to investigate and prosecute anyone who crosses the line from legitimate political criticism into criminal incitement, threats, violence or other unlawful conduct.

Where politicians or supporters make statements that amount to criminal hate speech or incitement, the appropriate authorities should not look the other way because the individual belongs to a powerful political party.

There must be no sacred cows.

However, enforcement must equally respect the rule of law. Legitimate criticism, political disagreement and robust debate are essential elements of democracy and must not be criminalised.

What should attract sanctions is conduct that clearly violates the law, incites violence, threatens lives or promotes criminality.

Political parties themselves must take responsibility for the behaviour of their members and supporters. Party leaders should publicly discourage inflammatory language and take disciplinary action against individuals who repeatedly violate agreed campaign standards.

Candidates should also understand that Nigerians are not simply looking for the loudest politician. Citizens want leaders who can solve problems.

The campaign should therefore answer important questions.

How will insecurity be addressed?
How will jobs be created for millions of young Nigerians?
What will be done to improve public schools and hospitals?
How will the electricity supply be strengthened?
What is the plan for agriculture and food security?
How will the government tackle poverty and the rising cost of living?
What measures will be introduced to fight corruption and improve accountability?
How will infrastructure and transportation be developed?

These are the issues that should dominate political rallies, debates, interviews, manifestos and social media campaigns.

A candidate should not be allowed to escape questions about his or her policies by diverting attention to ethnic, religious or personal attacks against opponents.

The media also has a major responsibility. Journalists and media organisations should give greater attention to manifestos, policies, track records and evidence. Political insults should not automatically become major news simply because they generate controversy.

Social media users must equally recognise their responsibility. Political loyalty should not make anyone blind to the consequences of spreading falsehoods or threatening fellow citizens.
Elections are competitions for public service, not declarations of war.

The ultimate winner of an election should not simply be the candidate who is most effective at insulting opponents or mobilising hatred. It should be the candidate who convinces voters that he or she has the competence, character and credible programme to serve the people.

INEC has a responsibility to ensure that political parties and candidates comply with the rules governing campaigns. Security and law-enforcement agencies must also act professionally and impartially whenever campaign activities cross into criminal conduct.

Anyone, politician or supporter, who deliberately uses campaign platforms to incite violence, threaten citizens, promote ethnic or religious hatred or commit other offences should be investigated and, where the evidence supports it, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

But the same standard must apply to everyone, regardless of party, position or influence.

Nigeria’s democracy will be stronger when political differences are settled through ideas, debates and the ballot box rather than insults, intimidation and violence.

As INEC lifts the ban on campaign activities, this should be the beginning of a new political culture.

Let the politicians campaign with ideas. Let them defend their records. Let them present their manifestos. Let Nigerians interrogate their promises.

Let supporters debate policies rather than personalities.

And let the law deal firmly with those who deliberately turn political campaigns into platforms for hate, threats and violence.

The coming election should be a contest of ideas, competence, integrity and vision—not a contest of hatred and division.
Nigeria deserves an issue-based campaign.

Nigeria deserves better politics.

And, above all, Nigerians deserve leaders who can convince them at the ballot box—not intimidate them with hate speech.