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The Edo State chapter of Association of Professional Outdoor Signage Practitioners of Nigeria, APOSPON, has condemned the destruction of political campaign billboards across the state.
The association, which spoke at a press briefing in Benin City on Wednesday, said the development is affecting the business of its members.
The state chairman of APOSPON, Mr Esokpunwu Dave Ekuase, said the press conference was occasioned by the vandalism and destruction of political campaigns/advert messages deployed on their boards/advert structures across the state, especially in Benin City, by unknown persons.
Ekuase, who said the destruction of the campaign billboards cuts across all political parties, added that the association would formally write a petition to the Assistant Inspector of Police, Zone 5, Benin and the Edo State Police Command, to notify them of the vandalism of their facilities.
He noted that the practitioners bear the cost of replacing billboards already paid for by political parties, when vandalized.
“We are using this medium to call on all those going about vandalizing and destroying campaigns/advert messages deployed on our billboards to desist from this act forthwith.
“These structures are our investments and capital intensive. Same can be said of our clients who spend so much money producing advert materials deployed on our structures.
“We cannot fold our hands and watch our investments being destroyed. We are, therefore, activating every device to protect our investments and source of livelihood from going down the drain.
“We have been engaged to handle political campaigns over the years, and this year’s political dispensation shouldn’t be different. We are law abiding citizens doing our business professionally.
“And, we are yet to come to terms with the reason why campaigns deployed on our billboards are being vandalized or removed this time around,” Ekuase said.
The APOSPON state chairman, who called on the Nigeria police and other security outfits in the state to watch out for vandals and apprehend them, added that any person caught engaging in the act of vandalism would be dealt in accordance with the law.
DAILY POST recalls, that the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Olumide Akpata, had some weeks ago raised the alarm over the destruction of his campaign billboards.
Akpata accused agents of the Edo State Government and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, of being behind the vandalism.
