By Peter Duru, Makurdi
The Benue State Government and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have sharply disagreed over the planned removal of unauthorised billboards across the state, with the PDP alleging the exercise was politically motivated and targeted opposition campaign materials ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The state government, through the Benue State Signage and Advertisement Agency, Benue State Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, and the Urban Development Board, had on Tuesday issued a two-week ultimatum to owners and operators of unauthorised billboards to regularise them or face removal.
The directive, contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev, said enforcement would commence on October 20, 2026, with the removal of every billboard that had not been regularised.
But the PDP, through its State Publicity Secretary, Bright Antyo, described the directive as “a desperate, anti-democratic and politically motivated attempt to cripple opposition campaigns ahead of the 2027 governorship election.”
The party urged the state government to abandon what it described as an attempt to intimidate political opponents and monopolise public spaces.
Explaining the government’s position, Iorpev said the relevant agencies had “observed with concern the arbitrary erection of billboards across the State by individuals, groups and political parties.”
According to him, “These structures have been put up without a permit from the Signage and Advertisement Agency, without clearance from the Urban Development Board, and without payment of the prescribed fees.”
“This practice breaches the law. It deprives the State of legitimate revenue, endangers public safety, and undermines the orderly development of our towns and cities,” he added.
The government, however, said it was giving billboard owners the opportunity to comply rather than immediately commence enforcement.
Iorpev explained that the authorities were “prepared to assume that many of those responsible acted out of ignorance of the law and not out of deliberate defiance. For this reason, the Agencies are giving everyone who has erected a billboard a grace period of two weeks, beginning today, Tuesday, 6th October 2026,” he said.
The commissioner urged owners and operators of unauthorised billboards to use the period to “retrace their steps and do the right thing” by approaching the Benue State Signage and Advertisement Agency to begin the permit process, obtain clearance from the Urban Development Board, and pay all required fees.
He warned that the deadline would not be extended saying “Let it be clear that there will not be another notice before enforcement which will commence on Tuesday, 20th October 2026. The enforcement teams are expected to begin removing every billboard that has not been regularised from the set date.
Billboards taken down will be at the owners’ cost, and no further notice will be given.
“Anyone who ignores this window should expect no sympathy and no exception, regardless of status, affiliation or political party. We are a law-abiding people, and we believe every Benue citizen wants to do the right thing. This grace period is a sign of the Government’s goodwill and of its preference for compliance over confrontation. We urge all concerned to make use of it,” the commissioner stated.
However, the PDP rejected the government’s explanation, arguing that the timing of the directive suggested a political motive.
In its reaction signed by Antyo, the opposition party said it had “noted with alarm the directive issued by the Benue State Government threatening to commence the removal of billboards and posters across the state from October 20, 2026.”
The PDP said it “condemns this action in the strongest possible terms” and described it as “a desperate, anti-democratic and politically motivated attempt to cripple opposition campaigns ahead of the 2027 governorship election.”
According to the party, opposition billboards carrying “messages of hope, security, economic revival and political change” had recently appeared in major towns and communities across the state.
It alleged that rather than address issues raised by residents, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration was attempting to intimidate political opponents.
“The sudden two-week ultimatum issued by the government is not a coincidence. It bears all the markings of a calculated operation aimed at clearing public spaces of opposition campaign materials and restricting the visibility of alternative political voices as the 2027 election approaches,” the PDP alleged.
The party questioned the timing and manner of the government’s proposed enforcement saying, “If the Alia administration was genuinely interested in enforcing signage laws, why did it wait until now?
“Why were these regulations not vigorously enforced before opposition campaigns began gaining traction? Why has the government suddenly become eager to dismantle structures carrying messages that challenge its record?” the PDP asked.
The PDP claimed the directive targeted political opponents, alleging that the administration was unsettled by what it described as growing dissatisfaction with the government and increasing acceptance of alternative political options ahead of the 2027 election.
The party further alleged that government institutions could be deployed against political opponents, describing the directive as “draconian, vindictive and dangerous for democracy.”
It said: “It creates the impression that government agencies are being mobilised, not for public service, but as instruments of political warfare against perceived opponents.”
The opposition party also warned the governor against what it described as an attempt to restrict political competition.
“Benue State is not a monarchy, and Governor Alia is not the only candidate who will participate in the 2027 election.
The people have a constitutional right to hear different voices, evaluate competing visions and make informed choices at the ballot box.”
The PDP argued that political contests should be determined by public confidence and performance, not by the visibility or removal of campaign materials.
“We remind the Governor that democracy is not sustained by pulling down opponents’ billboards and posters. Democracy is sustained by winning the trust of the people through good governance, accountability, transparency and tangible results.”
The party also used the controversy to raise several issues it said were confronting the state, including insecurity, the condition of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), abandoned projects, debt, infrastructure and the economic situation.
“Today, Benue people are asking hard questions about insecurity, the plight of IDPs abandoned projects, mounting debt, neglect of 22 local governments, deteriorating rural infrastructure and the worsening economic situation. Destroying opposition campaign materials will not make these questions disappear,” the PDP said.
The party therefore warned that “any selective removal of opposition campaign materials under the guise of enforcement will be interpreted as a direct attack on democratic freedoms and a dangerous abuse of state institutions for partisan purposes.”
It called on civil society organisations, election observers, the media, security agencies and other stakeholders to monitor the implementation of the directive.
“We call on civil society organisations, election observers, the media, security agencies and all defenders of democracy to closely monitor the excesses of Governor Alia and his administration and ensure that no government agency is used as a tool for political persecution,” the party said.
The PDP urged the state government to reverse course, saying, “The Governor must abandon this path of political intolerance. Any attempt to intimidate opponents, monopolise public space and create the illusion of an unchallenged political landscape will fail because democracy belongs to the people, not to those temporarily entrusted with power.
“Benue belongs to all the people. The democratic space belongs to everyone. No government has the right to reserve it for itself,” it stated.
