By Jelili Gbadamosi
The Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA) has removed campaign billboards belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Kale Kawu, over alleged violations of advertising regulations and damage to public infrastructure.
The agency carried out the enforcement exercise on Wednesday at Adabata Junction and a public water facility at Bata Shop, Agaka, in Ilorin.
KWASAA spokesperson, Ajiboye Rachael, said the billboards were removed after the agency received complaints from members of the public over their placement.
The agency’s General Manager, Toba Adeyeye, who led the enforcement team, alleged that one of the billboards had been erected after a portion of a newly constructed road was dug up.
Adeyeye said such action was unacceptable because the road was public infrastructure funded with taxpayers’ money.
He also said the billboard placed at the public water facility amounted to an unauthorised use of government property, adding that approval from relevant authorities would have been required before using such facilities for political advertising.
According to him, KWASAA has a statutory responsibility to regulate outdoor advertising across the state and would continue to enforce the relevant rules irrespective of the political affiliation of those involved.
Adeyeye also dismissed suggestions that the exercise was targeted at opposition parties, insisting that the agency was non-partisan and applied its regulations uniformly.
Reacting to the development, Kawu condemned the removal of his campaign billboards, alleging that the action was carried out by agents of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
He described the development as a disturbing sign of intolerance towards political opposition and warned that politically motivated enforcement would amount to an abuse of administrative power.
Kawu urged the governor to allow legitimate political competition, arguing that the 2027 election should be contested on the basis of ideas, programmes and performance rather than attempts to restrict the visibility of opposition candidates.
