Kwara State Government Responds to PDP Candidate's Billboard Claims

The Kwara State Government has rejected claims that it is targeting the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Bolakale Kawu, over the removal of his campaign billboard in Ilorin.

This response comes after Kawu’s media team alleged that his billboard was taken down for political reasons.

Ibraheem Abdullateef, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor AbdulRazaq on Communications, spoke on Friday. He said the claims are not true, adding that opposition campaign materials can still be seen all over the state capital.

"The removal of the PDP gubernatorial candidate’s campaign billboard in Geri Alimi has nothing to do with politics. There are several campaign billboards of opposition candidates and even PDP across the state capital," Abdullateef said.

He explained that the company managing the billboard space, Al-Mubarak, is said to owe money to the Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA) and has been banned from advertising.

"The real issue which they are trying to bury is that the agent managing the space for that billboard, known as Al-Mubarak, is seriously indebted to KWASAA.

A ban was placed on the company, but it went ahead to erect the billboard of the PDP gubernatorial candidate when the ban has not been lifted," the governor's aide stated.

Abdullateef suggested that this situation might be an attempt to stir political controversy and make the state government look bad.

"It appears to be a connivance between the opposition party and the agent just to paint the Kwara State Government bad," he alleged.

He added that the presence of other opposition billboards across Ilorin shows that the government is not biased against any political party.

"We have PDP billboards almost everywhere in the state," he said.

On Thursday, Kawu’s media office accused the AbdulRazaq administration of political oppression due to the billboard's removal. They claimed it was taken down before the agreed rental period ended.

The media office stated that Kawu’s team had completed all necessary payments and procedures with KWASAA before the billboard was put up.

They alleged that the billboard was removed after authorities realized it was showing Kawu’s face and political message ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

"Such conduct is unacceptable in a democratic society," Kawu’s media office said while condemning the alleged removal.

Kawu called on the state government to ensure fairness for all political parties and candidates. He also urged civil society organizations and others to address what he described as political intimidation.

The media office insisted that taking down campaign materials would not change the growing support for its candidate, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and the PDP in the state.

KWASAA responded to the situation by denying any intention to target Kawu or any political party. They said their actions were based on the billboard's approval status and the debts owed by the operator.

In a statement from their Press Secretary, Racheal Ajiboye, the agency said: "The enforcement concerns the approval status of the structure and the operator’s outstanding obligations to the Agency. It was not directed at any political party or candidate."

KWASAA suggested that the PDP and Kawu should clarify the situation with the operator from whom they rented the space. They emphasized that paying for a billboard does not mean it has the necessary approvals.

"A rental payment does not establish that a billboard structure has the necessary approvals or that its operator has fulfilled outstanding obligations," the agency stated.

They also questioned if the structure was there a week before the enforcement, whether the operator had paid off previous debts, and who allowed the installation of the iron framework on the bridge.

"The iron framework was installed without the Agency’s approval or supervision. An improperly installed structure could endanger road users, and the Agency cannot ignore such risks," KWASAA said.

The agency stressed that public safety and protection of infrastructure are very important. They will keep enforcing signage rules regardless of the political ties of advertisers.

KWASAA advised political parties, candidates, and other advertisers to check the approval status of advertising structures and the compliance of operators before they pay or put up campaign materials.

They said this would help avoid disputes and disruptions from enforcement actions and that they are open to questions and complaints from the public and stakeholders.