Ogun kicks as Modele Sarafa-Yusuf accuses agency of removing her campaign billboards

Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, a governorship hopeful in Ogun, has accused the state government of ordering the removal of her campaign billboards in the state.

Sarafa-Yusuf was the first aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to announce her ambition to become governor of Ogun in 2023.

In a series of tweets on Friday, Sarafa-Yusuf alleged that the state signage agency sources said the billboards were removed on the order of Dapo Abiodun, governor of the state.

“We have reports that our billboards (properly paid for through registered agencies) are being removed. Ogun State Signage Agency sources say orders to remove are directly from Governor Dapo Abiodun,” she tweeted.

“Electoral Act 2022 allows us to campaign in accordance with rules & regulations as may be determined by INEC. Section 95 (2) says ‘State apparatus including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate.

“I’ve requested the ad agency to replace the materials and I urge the government and/or its agents to exercise restraint.”

But when TheCable contacted Kunle Somorin, the governor’s spokesman, he dismissed the allegation, saying “there was no such directive from the governor”.

Fola Onifade, general manager of the Ogun signage agency, also said the agency did not remove the billboards.

“I’m sure the ‘sources’ aspect is made up. The governor will not concern himself with posters,” Onifade said.

“I don’t think I’ve given any instructions for any of her billboards to be removed. If she had made such allegations and had enquired for clarifications, she should have called and we would have looked into it and found out what happened.

“But I am sure we didn’t remove any billboard, hers, or any other aspirant’s. It has happened that people went and posted on other people’s boards. Maybe in this case, it was the person that owned it that removed it, not the government.”

Sarafa-Yusuf declared her interest in contesting the Ogun governorship election on March 2.

The APC governorship aspirant was the special adviser on information and strategy to Abiodun, and had also chaired Abiodun’s campaign team in 2018.

During an interview with TheCable, Sarafa-Yusuf had said she hoped Abiodun would support her governorship ambition “as she had supported his”.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Abiodun declared his intention to run for another term in office, saying he is committed to providing qualitative governance.