2023: Follow due process before erecting billboards – Ekiti govt warns political parties, before building their billboards, banners, and other campaign materials in advance of the elections in 2023, politicians and political parties are advised by the Ekiti State Signage and Advertisement Agency (EKSAA) to observe the law and obtain the agency’s consent.
In Ado Ekiti, the agency’s director general, Mr. Olasunkanmi Onipede, pledged the agency’s sustained commitment to the state’s political stability.
He claimed that in June, during the state governorship race, the agency proved its willingness to offer a level playing field for all competitors.
Political parties are asked to uphold due process, as they did during the governorship election, by Onipede, who pledged that the agency will do much more in the upcoming general election.
He stated, “We were functioning as an autonomous body in the lead-up to the previous governorship. We dealt with the APC, PDP, SDP, and other political parties with neutrality, impartiality, and objectivity.
We only paid, posted, and exchanged payments. On the governor’s order that there should be no compensation because you are an APC member, they were all treated similarly. There were occasions when we even took down APC billboards to demonstrate to opponents that there were no sacred cows or golden fish in existence, and as a result, everyone complied.
“This is how we grow our democracy by treating everyone fairly. For us, it was a really hectic time. It is for generating revenue, and we did so successfully for the government, earning us satisfaction for our accomplishments.
The EKSAA DG stated that failure to comply could result in prosecution and a punishment of 75,000 naira in his warning against the erection of unlawful billboards.
“The tariffs in Ekiti are fair, but anyone or any group that doesn’t pay faces a fine of 75,000 naira. We have a team that monitors compliance with the signage regulations, and APCON has mandated that regulatory costs be paid for all campaigns.
He claimed that the organization is expertly run and does a great job of carrying out its mandate.
Advertisers have been cautioned by the Ekiti State Signage and Advertisement Agency against erection of billboards without specified purpose and encouraged to guarantee strict adherence to specifications and high ethical standards.
The agency’s Director-General (DG), Mr. Olasunkanmi Onipede, issued the warning on Thursday in Ado, Ekiti, during the staff’s first meeting of the year.
