Jimi Agbaje: My campaign billboards are being vandalised

Jimi Agbaje, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos state, has alleged that his campaign billboards were vandalised overnight.

He said this via his Twitter handle on Saturday.

Agbaje said the billboards were removed just as campaign commenced.

“Early this morning, our boards were vandalised and removed just as campaign commenced. Some of our deployment staff were also threatened with violence and warned to desist,” the tweet read.

“Fellow Lagosians, we must stand against this sort of tyranny. This is no ordinary election. This is a fight for freedom. A fight for Democracy. A fight for Lagos. We will not be silent and we will not be oppressed or suppressed into a corner. This time around, Democracy must win.”

Commenting,  Yemisi Busari, his running mate, said: “It has come to our notice that some of our campaign boards that were stationed on third mainland bridge were destroyed overnight.

“I must say this is very disappointing to see. This is not Freedom. This is not Democracy. This is not the Lagos the people want to identify with.”

It has come to our notice that some of our campaign boards that were stationed on third mainland bridge were destroyed over night. I must say this is very disappointing to see. This is not Freedom. This is not Democracy. This is not the Lagos the people want to identify with. pic.twitter.com/dPaWxzHg45

— yemisihbusari (@yemisihbusari) December 1, 2018

Following Agbaje’s outcry, Edgal Imohimi, Lagos commissioner of police, ordered the arrest of anyone caught vandalising posters of political parties across the state.

In a statement signed by Chike Oti, police spokesman, the police expressed commitment to addressing the situation and scheduled a meeting with chairmen and candidates of political parties in the state for December 5.

“Lagos State, CP this 1st day of December, 2018, at about 0915hrs, received a complaint from the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Lagos, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, to the effect that his campaign boards were vandalized and removed by unknown persons,” the statement read.

“The complainant went further to post his concern on social media alleging the vandalisation and removal of the aforementioned items.

“To this end, the CP directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti Yaba, to set up a monitoring team comprising the Command’s Riders Unit, to daily monitor and arrest anybody seen vandalising or defacing campaign posters or boards.

“The commissioner has also directed invitation to be sent to all party chairmen and their candidates for a meeting on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at the Police Officers Mess in GRA, Ikeja.”

Oti said the move was “to further drive home the fact that there is no alternative to peace and the need for all political parties, their candidates and supporters to shun acts capable of breaching the public peace”.