The Independent National Electoral Commission in Gombe State has cautioned political parties and their candidates against the usage of vulgar language that could threaten peace during electioneering.
The Head of Voter Education and Publicity of the Commission in the state, Nuhu Ibrahim, gave the charge in a statement on Tuesday in Gombe.
He said electioneering would start on Wednesday, September 28, in accordance with the electoral calendar, stressing that it was important for political parties and their candidates to comply with the rules towards ensuring peaceful and rancour-free campaigns.
“Political parties and candidates are to ensure that campaigns are not tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.
“The use of slanderous language likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions, attack on opposition parties/candidates or their programmes, employment and equipping of armed groups and violent activities of any kind during campaigns are prohibited,” he said.
The INEC official advised political parties and candidates to comply with the limits on election expenses as contained in Section 88 of the Electoral Act 2022.
According to him, the commission will deploy technologies and trained personnel to fast track effective tracking of campaign financing by parties and candidates.
He advised residents of the state who registered for Permanent Voter Card between June 2021 and January 14, 2022, to visit INEC’s offices to collect their PVCs to exercise their franchise.