Osun 2026: APC Accuses Adeleke Govt of Restricting Opposition Billboards

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the state government of imposing restrictions on the use of billboards by opposition parties ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

The party, in a statement issued on Friday by its Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, alleged that the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke had created an uneven playing field by directing the state’s signage regulatory agency to suspend approval for APC campaign billboards in parts of Osogbo.

Lawal claimed that the directive was specifically targeted at the APC and its governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

According to the statement, the state government allegedly instructed the O’ Signage Agency not to approve the erection or pasting of APC billboards within Osogbo, particularly along the Akoda axis to the Osogbo City Stadium corridor, for a specified period leading to the election.

The APC chairman described the alleged action as a misuse of incumbency power, saying it was aimed at limiting the campaign visibility of the party’s candidate.

“The directive is oppressive, unlawful and intended to stifle opposition activities,” Lawal said.

The party further alleged that the state government had directed the signage agency to identify owners of existing billboards across Osogbo and compensate them for up to three years per billboard, a move it described as unusual and politically motivated.

Describing the development as undemocratic, Lawal said the APC would resist the directive through lawful means, stressing that it was inconsistent with democratic principles and the right of political parties to campaign freely.

The APC also referenced the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, ARCON, formerly known as APCON, noting that the alleged directive was not in line with national advertising regulations governing political communication.

“We want to put all statutory security agencies on notice, including the Police, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, to be aware of this development,” the statement added.

The party called on the Adeleke administration to reconsider the alleged policy and allow all political parties to operate on equal terms ahead of the election.

The APC maintained that its governorship candidate would continue preparations for the poll, insisting that no administrative action would prevent the party from participating in lawful campaign activities across the state.

Efforts to get a reaction from the spokesperson to the Osun State Governor, Olawale Rasheed, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls at the time of filing this report.