The campaign organisation of Hon. Abayomi Semako Hunye has condemned the removal and demolition of its campaign banners in Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta by officials of the Ogun State Signage and Advertising Agency (OGSAA).
The campaign organisation, in a statement, said the banners were removed on Monday, September 7, 2026, on the instructions of the Ogun State Government.
One of the affected banners, according to the campaign, was located along Folagbade Road, Ijebu-Ode, opposite Our Saviour Cathedral, and carried the inscription: “Hon. Abayomi Hunye Is Still in the Race.”
The campaign organisation said similar materials were also removed in Abeokuta.
It alleged that the affected banners prominently featured the images of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Hunye, who is seeking the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The campaign said the banners were primarily intended to inform residents that the contest for the APC governorship ticket remained subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
“The core purpose of these specific banners is to inform the good people of Ogun State that the battle for the governorship candidate by APC is still active and ongoing in court,” the campaign said.
It argued that, as an aspirant and stakeholder in the democratic process, Hunye had a responsibility to keep members of the public informed about developments concerning his political mandate.
The campaign described the removal of the banners as an attempt to suppress information about the ongoing court proceedings.
It said it understood that officials of OGSAA carried out the exercise under the direction of the agency’s General Manager, Hon. Fola Onifade, allegedly acting on instructions from the state government.
While acknowledging the government’s authority to regulate outdoor advertising and signage, the campaign organisation demanded that such powers be exercised transparently and without political discrimination.
“Our concern is therefore not simply about the removal of campaign materials, but about the circumstances, timing, and apparent selectivity of an action aimed at blocking civic enlightenment,” it said.
The campaign challenged the state government to disclose the specific signage regulations allegedly violated by the banners.
It also asked whether the campaign organisation had received prior notice of any alleged violation or had been given an opportunity to rectify the situation before the materials were removed.
The campaign further questioned whether the exercise was a routine enforcement action or, as it alleged, a politically motivated attempt to restrict communication concerning the ongoing court process.
It expressed concern over what it described as the perception that the state’s signage regulatory machinery could be used to favour one political interest over another.
The organisation called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to investigate the circumstances surrounding the removal of the banners and ensure that signage regulations were applied equally to all political aspirants, parties and campaign organisations.
It specifically demanded clarification on the legal basis for the demolition, whether the required permits and approvals were obtained, whether any notice of violation was issued and why the affected locations were targeted.
The campaign also asked the authorities to disclose whether similar enforcement actions had been taken against campaign materials belonging to other political interests across Ogun State.
According to the organisation, equal enforcement of regulations is essential to preserving public confidence in the democratic process.
“Democracy cannot thrive where regulatory institutions are perceived as instruments of political intimidation, nor where the electorate is denied the right to be informed about legitimate legal proceedings,” the statement said.
Hunye’s campaign maintained that the removal of the banners would not affect his political aspirations or his decision to pursue the matter through lawful channels.
“Hon. Abayomi Semako Hunye remains committed to pursuing his political aspirations through peaceful, constitutional, and lawful means,” it said.
The campaign also urged Hunye’s supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that it would continue to engage residents and pursue what it described as its democratic rights through legitimate avenues.
“We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced. And we will continue to believe in the power of democracy and the rule of law,” the campaign organisation said.
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