Politics
Parties, Candidates Lament Destruction Of Campaign Posters
Political parties and candidates have condemned the indiscriminate destruction of campaign posters and bill boards by unidentified persons in Maiduguri.
There have been large scale defacing, removal and destruction of campaign posters and bill boards of candidates contesting various elective posts in the 2019 elections in the city.
The destruction has continued unabated in the past few weeks, in spite of warning by the police against the acts.
The Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Malam Umar Bello, lamented the indiscriminate removal of their candidates’ posters in the metropolis.
Bello said that it was disheartening to note the spate of destruction of posters and bill boards by unidentified persons.
He alleged that the perpetrators carried out their evil acts during the early morning hours when the curfew was in force in the area.
He assured of the commitment of the party and its candidates to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.
The governorship candidate of the Independent Democratic Party (IDP), Mr Rufai Mungono, who corroborated Bello’s statements, said urgent measures were necessary to check the menace toward a hitch-free and peaceful elections in the state.
A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammad Buba, called on the police to take appropriate action to check the menace.
Also, the Chairman, Independent Political Advisory Committee (IPAC), Alhaji Mukhtar Abdallah, disclosed that the committee would organise a forum to sensitise its members on the election processes and what was expected of them.
Abdallah commended the Borno Police Command over the conduct of sensitisation exercise for political parties and their candidates, adding that the gesture would facilitate conduct of a peaceful election.
It would be recalled that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Damian Chukwu, had warned against removal of campaign posters and bill boards, noting that the action contravened provisions of the Electoral Act and that defaulters would be prosecuted.
Chukwu called on the political parties and candidates to assist the police and provide useful information on those destroying the bill boards and posters.
According to statistics of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 41 political parties had fielded candidates for the governorship election in the state.
It showed that the parties submitted 867 candidates including 104 senatorial; 244 House of Representatives and 478 State House of Assembly candidates.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.