The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, has accused the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) of destroying his campaig materials.
Agbaje made the accusation on Sunday after residents of the Pedro area reportedly caught five LASAA officials destroying his campaign billboards and loading them onto a truck on the Third Mainland Bridge, early on Sunday.
The arrested men have been identified as Julius Opebenyo, Tunde Akanbi, George Benson, Yinka Adejuwon and Saba Edgal.
The apprehended men were said to be in the LASAA uniform, with the agency’s identity cards on them, a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, Jimi Agbaje Campaign Organisation, Mr. Felix Oboagwina, said.
Protesting over the incident, Agbaje said, “We have lost hundreds of billboards from supposedly LASAA officials. We believe this is a conspiracy by those in government against us. It is just not acceptable.
“These people preach democracy, but do not practise democracy. Democracy is about choice, democracy is about allowing us to express ourselves.”
The PDP candidate said his publicity devices, including A-Frame billboards and flags had been continually broken, vandalised and carted away by LASAA operatives, who, he alleged, usually leave untouched those of the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He went on to describe the alleged war on his publicity materials as “malicious, partisan, provocative, wicked and illegal”.
The third-time candidate has also called on the Police to act quickly by arresting and prosecuting any LASAA agent found culpable in the damage of his campaign materials.