Olumide Akpata, a candidate for governor of Edo State from the Labour Party, has charged PDP members with demolishing his campaign signs.
Speaking to reporters in Benin on Friday, Akpata described the move as a last-ditch effort to stifle his party’s message of optimism and constructive development for the nation. He said that saboteurs had made several attempts to undermine the party’s campaigns. “We have seen a concerted, deliberate, and pernicious attack on our constitutionally protected rights to political expression, free speech, and the basic principles of democracy itself over the last few days,” Akpata stated.
He identified the local government areas that were impacted, including Ovia North East, Egor, Oredo, and Ikpoba Okha. He also claimed instances of threats and the party’s billboards being physically taken down. The party has also received threats indicating that its time in the Ramat Park will soon come to an end. “Local government areas—a proxy for the current governor, Godwin Obaseki—have attacked billboards that I, as a law-abiding citizen and gubernatorial candidate, lawfully paid for and erected throughout Benin City.
Two of my billboards in the Oredo Local Government Area were brutally attacked, destroyed, and eventually taken down—all while clear threats of additional removals were made. He declared, “The situation in Ovia North East is equally dire and unacceptable, where these merchants of antidemocratic forces mindlessly destroyed two more billboards bearing my visage and campaign messages.”
Akpata revealed that no explanation was offered following the billboard’s removal, just as no notice was given before it was taken down. Furthermore, he insisted that the party had reimbursed authorized service providers for the billboards with the necessary funds. “We’ve questioned our service providers: have you complied with all legal requirements? They’ve demonstrated to us and provided us with receipts,” he claimed.
