Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has thrown a bold challenge to Nigeria’s political establishment, questioning whether the country’s decades-old regulations on campaign timing still make sense in the age of social media and 24/7 political engagement.
Speaking at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) roundtable on early campaigns in Abuja on Wednesday, Egbetokun urged stakeholders to rethink whether campaign restrictions were achieving their purpose or simply out of touch with today’s political reality.
“I think there is one very important question that we need to ask, do we really need to continue to regulate campaigns in 2025?” he asked, opening a debate that could reshape Nigeria’s electoral framework.
The police chief stressed that while his institution would continue to enforce every law passed by the National Assembly, it was important to interrogate their relevance and impact on governance.
“Based on the fact that there is a need to bridge the gaps between our leaders and the communities and the citizens, that’s one. Then two, every law that is made, as a law enforcement agency, we have a duty to enforce these laws,” Egbetokun said.
He challenged participants to take a deeper look at whether campaign timing regulations genuinely serve national security and development goals.
“And then we need to ask ourselves again, what are the relevance of these laws to issues of security and development? That is the question I want to throw to speakers and participants for us to seriously look deep into,” he added.
Egbetokun’s comments are likely to spark debate as Nigeria heads toward the 2027 general elections amid growing complaints from political actors about the rigidity of campaign schedules and the blurring of lines between governance and politicking.
Despite his call for reflection, the IGP reassured that the Nigeria Police Force will not shirk its constitutional duty to enforce the law and maintain order during the political season.
“Having said that, the Nigeria Police Force will continue to enforce every law that has been duly passed by the Senate, House of Assembly, House of Representatives as well,” he stated.
“And we will continue to do everything needed to be done to ensure that campaigns go on peacefully at any time, at anywhere it is taking place, and we also ensure to provide adequate security for every election at any location and irrespective of the time.”
This fresh perspective from the country’s top cop is expected to fuel conversations around whether Nigeria should modernise its campaign laws to reflect the realities of digital politics and year-round political mobilisation.
