Despite the fact that Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is yet to lift a ban on political campaign, some major political office seekers in the country have subtly commenced their electioneering campaign in earnest, Straightnews has learnt.
Investigations by Straightnews show that in Akwa Ibom State, stunning billboards of governorship contenders under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC adorn such major roads as Nwaniba, Oron, Abak and Uyo Village, Ikot Ekpene Roads as well as Bassey Wellington Bassey Way End, among others.
Large-sized billboards showing Governor Udom Emmanuel either standing or sitting alone or with Senator Bassey Albert are hoisted at strategic positions in Uyo and other parts of the state to compete for public attention.
Similarly, Obong Nsima Ekere, Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has equally flooded the state capital with magnificent billboards in addition to posters to drum support for his governorship ambition.
Already, Governor Emmanuel is the PDP consensus candidate while Ekere got a nod as APC governorship aspirant by some party elders to contest September 29, 2018 governorship primary along with Bassey Dan-Abia and Senator James Akpan Udoedehe.
Ekere’s billboards which are soliciting votes for him to emerge as the next governor of the oil-rich state with the hag tag # Akawibomcandobetter have been erected in some strategic locations within the state capital.
Worried by the upsurge of billboards in the town, the state government through the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources has moved against what it described as indiscriminate hoisting, installation of billboards in the state.
Dr. Iniobong Essien, the state Commissioner, said the measure was aimed at ensuring sanity in outdoor advertising and directed all the companies to stop further hoisting of new billboards across the state.
Essien said: “In an effort to stem the arbitrary installation of billboard structures which have become hazardous to members of the public the government of Akwa Ibom State through the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources hereby directs all outdoor advertising companies to immediately stop the hoisting and installation of new billboards across the state.
“All outdoor advertising companies operating in the state are hereby requested to submit an inventory of their billboards with relevant registration, drawing and approval within one week from the date of this announcement. Failure to comply will attract appropriate sanction.”
Reacting, a source in Nsima Ekere Campaign Organisation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter alleged that the state government was jittery about Obong Ekere’s entry into the governorship race and was bringing up the “Obnoxious and discriminatory policy to forestall the mounting of new billboards by political opponents with a view to scuttling their campaigns.”
