Ex-INEC Chair Jega Urges EFCC, ICPC to Probe Third-Party Campaigners Ahead of 2027 Elections
Ahead of the general elections in 2027, Attahiru Jega, the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to start looking into the funding and activities of third-party campaigners.
While giving the keynote lecture at an INEC discussion on premature campaigns at the Electoral Institute in Abuja on Thursday, Jega made the call.
In addition to being illegal, he said that the growing number of early political campaigns threatened the integrity of the 2027 elections by undermining governance, escalating political tensions, and more.
“The ICPC and EFCC should closely examine the financing sources of third-party campaigners and give them extra attention. “The estimated expenditure by a third-party campaigner for the candidate or party should be taken into consideration when determining whether the expenditures of candidates and parties fall within approved limits,” Jega stated.
In order to prosecute election violators, Jega reaffirmed his demand for the establishment of an Election Offenses Commission and Tribunal.
He emphasized that the proposal to create the Elections Offences Commission and Tribunal is now even more essential, crucial to take into account, and has to be covered in the current or upcoming cycle of electoral reforms prior to the 2027 elections.
According to reports, the Electoral Act 2022 mandates that campaigning start 150 days prior to the election day and conclude 24 hours prior to the election. But in defiance of the rules, 2027 election campaigns have already begun less than two years before the elections.
Jega cautioned that presidents frequently turn their attention from governing to politics during early campaigns.
Indeed, early campaigns frequently inflame the political climate, heighten political competitiveness, and foster hate speech and ethno-religious polarization in Nigeria. This discourages peaceful political involvement, erodes enforcement mechanisms, and frequently sparks violence, particularly in politically unstable places,” he warned.
He claims that in order to campaign well in advance of the official window, politicians take advantage of loopholes through consultative meetings, project commissioning, ceremonial events, and the distribution of so-called palliatives.
Jega asserts that “effective sanctions are key to curbing abuse.”
Only severe punishment, according to the former INEC chairman, might dissuade political actors from breaking the law.
“Effective sanctions are basically the magic bullet for dealing with the problems of all election campaigns, especially early ones,” Jega said. They establish a culture of lawlessness and impunity, they give unfair benefits to parties or candidates that acted too quickly, they create an unequal playing field, and they may even lead to disputes that threaten law and order.
SERAP Threatens INEC With Legal Action
According to reports, Jega’s request for an investigation follows the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project’s (SERAP) threat to sue INEC for failing to penalize politicians and political parties running early campaigns.
SERAP encouraged INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to identify and bring charges against Electoral Act violators in a letter dated September 13, 2025, written by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
Therefore, we would appreciate it if the suggested actions were carried out within seven days of this letter being received and/or published. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all relevant legal proceedings to compel you and INEC to comply with our request in the public interest,” the group stated.
