Poll Shift: Oshiomhole Dares INEC, To Resume Campaigns Despite Restriction

Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has said he is resuming political campaigns for his party despite the restriction placed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Mr Oshiomhole stated this on Saturday while addressing newsmen at a press conference called by the electoral body at the International Conference Center (ICC), Abuja, to explain why it rescheduled the general election to next week Saturday.

At the event, the chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, while responding to a question from Osita Chidoka, a campaign spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on continuation of campaigns, said political campaigns remained closed at the moment.

Constitutionally, political campaigns are concluded 24 hours before the election.

But kicking against the restriction, the former Edo State governor said his party was not going to adhere to the directive of the electoral umpire.

“We are governed by law and the law is campaign stops 24 hours before (election), INEC chairman can not freeze that right. We will exercise it and we will do so openly,” Mr Oshiomhole said.

“So tomorrow (Sunday), I am beginning campaign and I don’t need INEC permission to renew campaign…We will go back to campaign, we need to do it to keep Nigerians confident,” the top APC official added.

He criticized the electoral body on why it had to wait until 2:00AM before postponing the election.