Ekiti agency clamps down on campaign posters
Billboards
and posters of any politician who does not register with and pay
stipulated fees to the Ekiti State Signage and Advertisement Agency
will henceforth be removed, the Agency’s Director General, Femi Ajayi,
said yesterday in Ado Ekiti.
Mr. Ajayi, who addressed a news conference in
Ado-Ekiti, warned advertisers and politicians flouting the signage law
in the state, to desist or be charged to court.
“Outdoor advertisements are not free in any part of
the world and no political party is free from conforming to the law.
The signage law surpasses either political divisions or partisanship,”
he said. “The signage law is designed to control and sanitize the
outdoor landscape in the state. It is compulsory for all political
parties, all aspirants for councillorship, chairmanship, assembly,
senatorial, governorship and presidential, to register and pay for
their outdoor billboards and posters. It also covers all private and
religious bodies.”
He stressed that hiding under political sentiment to disobey the signage law is unacceptable to the government.
“Whipping up sentiment through pasting of posters is
highly diversionary,” he said. “Those flouting the law using their
political clout will be held accountable and punished, with their
advertising billboards removed, confiscated and fined.
Since we all want a rule-based environment, to make
the state better, leaders have the responsibility of upholding those
rules.”
Task force on law
He added that the government would soon establish a task force to make sure that politicians comply with the signage law.
While calling on the state government to create a
mobile court which will have the responsibility of prosecuting on the
spot those who flout the law, the director general also said that a
signage fee must be paid on all branded vehicles, and other items used
either for political campaign or to advertise products and services.
He said the signage law was not aimed at preventing
any political parties from enjoying publicity, adding that churches,
mosques and other places of worship were not left out.
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