CP vows to arrest Lagos officials over removal of campaign posters

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, has vowed to invoke the full wrath of the law against any official of the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency who dared to remove political posters from wherever they are pasted.
Addressing journalists at the Police Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos, Aderanti said the measure became necessary after his office received series of complaints against LASAA by candidates of various political parties about the removal of their campaign billboards and posters purportedly by personnel of the agency.
Aderanti however refused to disclose if the posters and complainants included members of the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress, or just other political parties.
Insisting that the Independent National Electoral Commission had lifted ban on political campaigns and LASAA should not truncate peace in the state, Aderanti said: “The Electoral Act 2010 as amended is clear in section 100(2) where it stated inter alia that: ‘State apparatus, including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.’
“The command wishes to advice LASAA to desist from any act that will call to question its purpose against any political party.
“It is in the interest of public peace for the agency to allow candidates of all political parties’ equal space to disseminate their campaign messages towards a successful conduct of the general election.”
Before he spoke with newsmen, Aderanti had a session with area commanders and Divisional Police Officers.
According to him, the meeting with his lieutenants was to further direct them to be on the lookout and arrest anybody that attempts to remove any billboard or posters of any candidate of the various political parties under whatever guise.
He said the Command would not stand by and allow anyone to truncate the forthcoming general elections.
“Let no one, no matter how highly placed, try our resolve to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process,” Aderanti said.
He said not confronting the issue frontally now might lead to loss of peace, adding that all parties have the right to solicit for votes and reach out to their supporters through billboards and posters.
He explained that removal of such posters, mean infringement on politicians’ rights.
Speaking on negating political violence, Aderanti said: “We have in place, strategies that negate political violence.
“What we are doing today is to preempt this violence.
“We have understanding with political parties that they’ll conduct themselves lawfully.
“Journalists have a lot to do in ensuring a violence-free election.”