As the 2023 general elections draw near and full-blown campaigns around the corner, the Lagos chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has petitioned the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) in Lagos against the Registered Agents of the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) over what it termed “Conspiracy to commit electoral fraud,”
From a copy of the petition made available to Daily Sun, the PDP made it known to the public that they are being disallowed from making use of Outdoor Digital Billboards within Lagos State.
Signed by Clement U. Ewulum (Senior Associate) for Victoria Chambers and copied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), the petitioner maintained that the action was a negation of the electoral Act 2022.
“Our mandate is to seek prosecution by the relevant Stakeholder against Registered Agents of the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) that operate Digital Billboard in Lagos that have continued to place only campaign material for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and APC Candidates on their platforms.
“Equal allotment of Party Advertisement as enshrined in the Electoral Act, Section 95(3) and (5) gives all political parties and their candidates equal opportunities to campaign and sell their different manifestoes to the electorates.
“We beckon on you to use your good office to cause an investigation to be carried out in ensuring that the above provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 complained of are strictly adhered to and that the Registered Agents of the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) are made to immediately take steps to allocated Advertisement on Outdoor Digital Billboards equally among the political parties or Candidates at similar hours of the day,” they urged.