Billboard Permit: You Are Plotting To Cripple Opposition, PDP Tells Alia

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Benue State Chapter, has said the directive issued by the Benue State Government threatening to commence the removal of billboards, posters across the state from October 20, 2026 was a plot by governor Hyacinth Alia to cripple the opposition campaigns ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

In a statement issued by PDP State Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, the party warned that any selective removal of opposition campaign materials, “under the guise of enforcement will be interpreted as a direct attack on democratic freedoms and a dangerous abuse of state institutions for partisan purposes”

The statement called on civil society organizations, election observers, the media, security agencies and defenders of democracy, “to closely monitor the excesses of Governor Alia and his administration and ensure that no government agency is used as a tool for political persecution”

According to PDP, “We condemn this action in the strongest possible terms and view it as a desperate, anti-democratic and politically motivated attempt to cripple opposition campaigns ahead of the 2027 governorship election”

“The sudden two-week ultimatum issued by government is not a coincidence. It bears all the markings of a calculated operation aimed at clearing public spaces of opposition campaign materials and restricting the visibility of alternative political voices as the 2027 election approaches”

The statement added, “No one should be deceived by the language of “regulation” and “compliance.” The real target of this exercise is the opposition.

“If the Alia administration was genuinely interested in enforcing signage laws, why did it wait until now? Why were these regulations not vigorously enforced before opposition campaigns began gaining traction? Why has the government suddenly become eager to dismantle structures carrying messages that challenge its record?” the statement maintained.

Recall that, the Benue State government had given two- week ultimatum to political parties, individuals and groups to obtain permit from the Signage and Advertisement Agency, clearance from the Urban Development Board and pay the prescribed fees before erecting or retaining billboards.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, the government said there will not be another notice before enforcement which will commence on Tuesday, 20th October 2026.

The statement explained that the enforcement teams were expected to begin the removal of every billboard that has not been regularised from the set date.

Iorpev said the billboards taken down will be at the owners’ cost, and no further notice will be given, “Anyone who ignores this window should expect no sympathy and no exception, regardless of status, affiliation or political” he said.