Adamawa Govt Cracks Down on Illegal Campaign Posters, Warns Violators of Prosecution

By Umar Zubainatu Kambari

The Adamawa State Government has reiterated its commitment to enforcing laws prohibiting the defacement of public infrastructure with campaign posters, warning that violators will face prosecution regardless of their political affiliation.

Addressing journalists in Yola on Thursday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor said the government’s position is aimed at protecting public assets, preserving the aesthetics of the state capital, and ensuring respect for the rule of law.

He noted that the government had observed with concern the indiscriminate pasting of campaign posters and political materials on flyovers, bridges, public buildings, streetlights, road medians, and other public infrastructure across the state.

According to him, such facilities were constructed with public funds to improve the quality of life of residents and should not be converted into campaign platforms by political parties or aspirants.

The Chief Press Secretary stressed that the law prohibiting the defacement of public property is longstanding and applies equally to all individuals, irrespective of political party, status, or influence.

He revealed that the government’s resolve was recently reinforced by a court judgment in which a political candidate found liable for violating the law was ordered to pay a fine of ₦3 million, describing the ruling as a landmark decision that affirmed the government’s legal authority to protect public property.

“This was never about politics. It was about responsibility,” he said, adding that no responsible government would invest billions of naira in urban renewal projects only to allow public infrastructure to be damaged through indiscriminate poster campaigns.

He explained that urban renewal extends beyond the construction of roads and bridges, noting that it also requires discipline, civic responsibility, and respect for public assets.

The government declared that “the era of impunity is over,” maintaining that the law would henceforth be enforced without fear or favour, with members of both the ruling party and the opposition subject to the same legal standards.

While reaffirming that political participation remains a constitutional right, the government emphasized that vandalising public infrastructure is not.

It urged political parties and aspirants to utilise approved billboards, flex banners, designated advertising spaces, newspapers, radio, television, digital media, town hall meetings, and other lawful platforms for campaigns instead of defacing government property.

The government also announced that relevant agencies had been directed to strengthen surveillance across the state to identify, arrest, and prosecute offenders in accordance with the law.

Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding public assets, the government said it would continue to uphold the rule of law firmly, fairly, and without exception, stressing that the beauty of Adamawa’s cities and the integrity of public infrastructure must not become casualties of political ambition.