With campaigns officially kicking off, the Lagos state guber candidates of the ruling and main opposition parties have successfully shared attention, via advertisements, on the Third Mainland Bridge, in the state.
Background: The Peoples Democratic Party Lagos State governorship candidate, Olajide Adediran, had earlier alleged that the Lagos State government was working in the background to prevent the party from executing its campaign plans.
Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, alleged that the advert agencies contracted by the party had refunded the money paid to them, citing instructions from the state government.
He added that posters pasted by the PDP were allegedly removed by state-backed hoodlums in a bid to prevent the party from its candidates and programmes to Lagosians.
What Pulse saw: Our correspondent, on Wednesday morning, October 12, 2022, spotted Jandor’s pole-banners on each pole that preceded the posters of the All Progressive Congress candidate, and Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on the Third Mainland Bridge.
Jandor’s pole attached banners appeared to have been more recently put up, “perhaps last night, because I did not see it yesterday,” a taxi driver, who is familiar with the route, confirmed.
New posters of Jandor were also seen on walk-over-bridge, shortly after the Third Mainland Bridge.
What you should know: The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) has issued guidelines on the use of election campaign materials for the 2023 polls.
The guidelines cover different categories which include billboards, wall drapes, banners, and posters.
The guidelines, which also outline penalties for violators, were contained in a statement issued by Adedamola Docemo, managing director/chief executive officer of LASAA.
On the use of banners, LASAA said “this may only be displayed on inner roads and streets, subject to the following conditions: a. Only if the banner is attached to the wall of a particular building (with the consent/agreement of the building owners) limited to inner streets; b. Not to be tied to poles or public utilities (electric and telecom poles)”.
For posters, “they may be pasted on designated surfaces on inner streets only and are not to be seen on highways, major roads and high streets”.
“Posters must not be pasted on public utility structures, i.e., streetlamp poles, transformers, bridge pillars/barriers, road directional sign, electrical poles and other unauthorised surfaces,” the statement reads.
Implication of this: Both Janodor and Sanwo-Olu are violating the state laws.
