The publisher of the defunct Post Express newspaper, Charles Odenigbo, has warned that the 2027 General Elections will not be a mere test of the strength of political parties in the country, but a test of the maturity of Nigeria’s democracy and the credibility of concerned institutions.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement on political advertising and campaign communications ahead of the 2027 general elections in Kwara State, Odenigbo cautioned advertising agencies that the political job they agree to undertake will, in no small measure, shape the public and international confidence in the nation’s electoral process.

Delivering the Keynote speech, on Thursday at the event organised by the Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), the lawyer cautioned politicians and other relevant institutions that: “political campaigns must never become a weapon of division, hatred, misinformation, or intimidation. Rather, it should be a vehicle for ideas, accountability, persuasion, and informed democratic choice.”

To advertising agents, he urged: “the advertisements we approve, the campaign messages we disseminate, and the standards we choose to uphold will, in no small measure, shape public and international confidence in the electoral process.

In his address, titled: “Legal and regulatory regimes, ethical paradoxes in Political advertising and campaign communications ahead of 2027 general elections,” Odenigbo recommended the strengthening of the legal framework by clarifying the scope of the Electoral Act’s provisions, particularly in relation to third-party advertising.

“The ambiguity created by the express reference to political parties should be addressed through legislative amendment or judicial interpretation.

“The interpretation of campaigning in public in Section 155 of the Electoral Act, 2026 should be reviewed in line with political marketing communications.

“There should be agreement on whether illegal and unwholesome political advertising should be made an electoral offence to bring the law in alignment with other legal regimes regulating campaign communications in the industry,” he added.

According to him, there is a need for strong collaboration between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) on responsible political campaigning communications as they relate to Voter education and the electoral process must be intensified.

He enjoined political parties to, among many others, campaign legally and ethically and seek proper advice on the legal and regulatory challenges posed by unwholesome materials, unprofessional conduct, and misleading advertisements, misinformation and disinformation.

He, however, appealed to political parties and candidates to “campaign vigorously- but campaign responsibly. Win votes through facts, integrity, and persuasion, not through falsehood, fear, or inflammatory rhetoric.

“To advertising agents and practitioners and media organizations, your professional duty extends beyond satisfying your clients; it includes safeguarding the ethical standards of your profession and protecting the public interest.

“To ARCON, INEC, NBC and every other regulatory institution, history will judge you not merely by the laws we enacted, but by the fairness, courage, and consistency with which we enforced them.

“To federal and state governments, I urge you to refrain from using State Administrative Resources for political campaigning.

“To the Nigerian Police and other Security agencies, I urge you not to be Partisan.

“To KWASAA and Local Government Councils in Kwara State, I urge you to give timely approvals for billboard sites across your state and give equal Protection to the sites of all the political parties and avoid eye service to political leaders, and so on,” he enjoined.

Also, the KWASAA urged political parties, candidates and advertising practitioners to ensure responsible, lawful and peaceful political advertising ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the Acting General Manager of KWASAA, in his welcome address, the growing use of billboards, banners and other outdoor advertising materials during election campaigns makes it necessary for stakeholders to agree on rules that would protect public safety, the environment and the peaceful conduct of elections.

According to him, political advertising is an important part of democracy, as candidates have the right to communicate their programmes and seek the support of voters, but such rights must be exercised within the law.

He expressed concern over the indiscriminate erection of billboards and banners without permits, defacement of public and private property, obstruction of motorists and pedestrians, as well as the abandonment of campaign materials after elections.

He also warned against political advertisements containing unverified, inflammatory or defamatory claims, particularly those capable of exploiting ethnic or religious sentiments.

“After the politics, Kwara will remain. Elections come and go, campaigns rise and fade, but this state, our shared home, endures,” he said.

However, the Commissioner for Communication and Capital Development, Bola Olukoju, said the stakeholders’ engagement was to institutionalise how political advertising should be run.