A civil society group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has called on the Enugu State Government, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu, and governments and political parties nationwide to respect the right of all parties and candidates to campaign peacefully ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, the group said voters must be free to attend meetings, hear competing proposals and make up their own minds without fear.
“A credible election begins with those freedoms, well before polling day,” the statement said.
The statement follows a controversy over access to Michael Okpara Square, a public venue in Enugu, for a campaign event involving Peter Obi and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Enugu State Tourism Board chairperson Rita Mbah said the venue had already been booked and denied receiving any directive from Governor Peter Mbah to turn the party away.
In a separate dispute over the 29 October town hall at the privately owned Amadeo Event Centre, the NDC alleged government interference. The governor denied the allegation and the Enugu APC rejected it. Venue management said it initially withdrew the booking because the proposed use differed from what had been agreed. The town hall eventually went ahead.
RULAAC noted that “the two disputes concern different venues and circumstances,” but argued that for public facilities such as Okpara Square, “published booking rules, availability and written reasons for refusals would allow parties and the public to assess whether access is fair.”
The group also raised concern over a mandatory ₦150 million permit fee for political outdoor advertising, announced by the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency. The Federal High Court in Enugu reportedly dismissed a challenge to the agency’s authority to impose the fee. RULAAC urged the state to review the amount and publish how the fee is applied across parties and candidates. “A charge of this scale can put basic campaign visibility beyond the reach of many candidates, even when the same published rate applies to everyone,” it said.
On physical safety, the group cited documentation by Global Rights of gunfire at an NDC ward meeting in Obuoffia Awkunanaw and a separate attack on a PDP rally in Agbani on the same day. The NDC alleged APC involvement in the Obuoffia attack, an allegation that remains disputed. RULAAC also referred to the attack on Obi’s convoy in Calabar and violence involving Omoyele Sowore and his team in Ado Ekiti, which it said “show why candidates and supporters need impartial protection across the country.”
The group pointed to Sections 39 and 40 of the Constitution, which protect freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. It also cited Section 95 of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires police to provide adequate security for political rallies and processions and to resolve scheduling or venue conflicts through consultation, and Section 99(2), which prohibits the use of state apparatus, including state media, to favour or disadvantage any party or candidate.
“Those duties apply wherever an incumbent controls access to a public venue, a state broadcaster or another public resource that affects the ability to campaign,” the statement said.
RULAAC called on state governments to publish booking rules, fees and availability for public campaign venues, give prompt written reasons for refusals and offer comparable alternatives. It said Enugu should review the ₦150 million fee and disclose how permit rules are enforced, and that state-owned media should provide equitable campaign access.
The group urged the Enugu APC and all political parties to commit to peaceful competition publicly, direct officials and supporters to respect rival events and campaign materials, and cooperate with impartial investigations into alleged attacks and intimidation.
It also asked the Nigeria Police Force to provide timely and impartial protection for lawful political gatherings, including ward meetings, investigate the Obuoffia Awkunanaw and Agbani attacks and similar incidents, publish progress where lawful, and refer cases for prosecution where evidence warrants.
RULAAC further called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a public channel for reporting campaign obstruction, including arbitrary venue refusals, discriminatory enforcement of advertising rules and denial of access to state media, with complaints addressed quickly enough for affected parties to campaign “while voters are still weighing their choices.”
“The people of Enugu and of every state are entitled to hear from those who seek their votes,” the statement concluded. “Governors, parties, the police and INEC each have a duty to protect that choice throughout the campaign.”
