Former federal lawmaker, Dachung Bagos, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to demonstrate its independence by sanctioning President Bola Tinubu and his supporters over billboards displaying “Vote Tinubu 2027” ahead of the official campaign period.

Bagos made the call during an appearance on AIT’s Focus program on Thursday.

The ex-lawmaker, who previously represented Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, argued that the adverts contravene Section 94 of the Electoral Act, 2022, which prohibits campaign messages directly soliciting votes outside the approved timeframe.

“The law is against using the phrase ‘vote for.’ So, any campaign poster that carries ‘vote for’ outside the designated period clearly violates the law,” he explained.

He added that some posters in Abuja merely displayed “2027” without the words “vote for,” leaving room for interpretation. However, he pointed out that at least one billboard featuring President Tinubu and his wife explicitly carried the phrase “Vote Tinubu 2027,” which constitutes a breach of the law.

“With that word ‘vote,’ Section 94 has been violated. Whoever—whether a candidate or a party—is behind it, INEC ought to sanction them,” Bagos insisted.

“If it is the president himself, even without a party logo, the inclusion of the word ‘vote’ is enough for INEC to caution and sanction him,” he added.

Bagos further challenged the electoral body to take swift action, warning that any failure to act could raise doubts about its neutrality as the 2027 elections draw closer.