The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has warned politicians and political parties to stop campaign, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He said the ban on campaign was still on and until it was lifted, it was illegal for any party or politician to commence campaign.

Yakubu stated this at the quarterly Consultative Meeting with the media in Abuja on Tuesday.

Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, had last Thursday declared his intention to vie for the presidency in 2019, contrary to Section 99 of the Electoral Act 201 (as amended).

The section says: “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day.”

But the INEC chairman warned politicians and political parties against jumping the gun.

Yakubu said: “We want to draw the attention of political parties and candidates that are already going round the country campaigning for 2019 that INEC, the only agency responsible for the release of timetable and schedule of activities, hasn’t done so.

“And anything that anybody does is illegal under the law. We should wait for the timetable for the campaign.

“The release of timetable does not mean the commencement of campaign.”