The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the state government of imposing restrictions on the use of billboards by opposition parties ahead of the 2026 governorship election. According to a statement by the party’s chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed the state’s signage regulatory agency to halt approval for APC campaign billboards in parts of the capital, Osogbo.
The directive allegedly targets the APC and its governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, by prohibiting the erection or pasting of billboards within Osogbo, particularly along the Akoda axis to the Osogbo City Stadium corridor, for a specified period leading to the election. Lawal claims that this decision amounts to a misuse of incumbency power, intended to restrict the campaign visibility of the APC candidate.
The APC also alleges that the state government has ordered the signage agency to identify owners of existing billboards across Osogbo and compensate them for up to three years per billboard, a move the party describes as unusual and politically motivated. The party’s chairman has condemned the directive as oppressive, unlawful, and aimed at stifling opposition activities, emphasizing that it is inconsistent with democratic principles and the right of political parties to campaign freely.
The APC has referenced the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), formerly known as APCON, noting that the alleged directive is not in line with national advertising regulations governing political communication. The party has called on the Adeleke administration to reconsider the policy, urging the government to allow all political parties to operate on equal terms ahead of the election.
The APC leadership has assured that its governorship candidate will continue preparations for the poll, insisting that no administrative action will prevent participation in lawful campaign activities across the state. The party has also put statutory security agencies, including the Police, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, on notice regarding the development.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Osun State Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, were unsuccessful, as he was not available to comment. The controversy highlights concerns about the fairness and transparency of the electoral process in Osun State, with the APC arguing that the restrictions on billboard usage undermine the principles of free and fair elections.