Going by Sections 99 and 101 of the 2026 Electoral Acts, violations of campaign guidelines attract varying degrees of sanctions for political parties and their candidates.

Other Sections in the rule of engagement also prescribe for various infractions during campaigns.

The section stipulates N50 million fine and N3 million fine respectively for parties and candidates participating in next year’s general election who engage in religious or ethnic campaigns in the run-up to the polls.

Media organisations that violates the campaign guidelines also risk a fine of up to N5 million.

The provisions are contained in the 2026 Electoral Act.

Section 99 of the 2026 Electoral Acts provides the legal framework for electoral campaigns, imposing fines of up to N5 million for violations, while Section 101 prohibit campaigns based on religion, while imposing fine of up to N3 million on individuals and up to N50 million on political parties that violates the provisions.

Specifically, Section 99, Sub-section 1 provides that “A candidate and his or her party shall campaign for the elections in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be determined by the Commission, while providing in Sub-section 2 stipulates that state apparatus, including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.”

Sub-sections 3, 4 and 5 state that “media time shall be allocated equally among the political parties or candidates at similar hours of the day, and that at any public electronic media, equal airtime shall be allotted to all political parties or candidates during prime times at similar hours each day, subject to the payment of appropriate fees and that at any public print media, equal coverage and visibility shall be allotted to all political parties. (The Nation)

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