Abia signage agency faults multiple candidates in campaign billboards, posters

The General Manager/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSAA), Mr. Anthony Otuonye, has cautioned governorship candidates for the 2023 general elections in the state against including other
candidates’ pictures in their billboards and other campaign materials on display.

Otuonye stated that the practice is against relevant extant laws.

The CEO issued the warning at the weekend when The Guardian exclusively sought his reaction to the accusations made against ABSAA by the state Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate Campaign Council that ABSAA removed the candidate’s billboard along AbaUmuahia expressway at Umuikaa junction even after he had paid statutory fees, including fulfilling other conditions.

Utuonye noted that the extant law did not provide for joint insertion of campaign pictures and messages on billboards. He disclosed that some billboards and posters featured the governorship, deputy governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and state assembly candidates together.

He urged candidates to seek necessary clarifications from the agency to avoid consequences of non-compliance
with the state law.

Reacting to the LP’s accusation, he confirmed that the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, duly paid
the N10 million, which, he said, is a permit to display his campaign materials in the state after fulfilling other
conditions.

According to him, ABSAA has no direct issue with LP or its candidate, but with whom it may have engaged for the said billboard and flex positioning, as well as the message therein.

We insist that no derogatory or offensive messages be displayed on billboards,” noting that such messages are to be pre-approved by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). Asked why the LP message, which the party said was duly approved by APCON, was not accepted by ABSAA, he stated that the agency had not got APCON approved copy to ascertain it.