Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government has issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the removal of all campaign posters and bill boards in the state ahead of the governorship primary scheduled for September 3.
The 48 hours ultimatum which was issued by the commissioner for Environment, Ebipatei Apaingolo to all governorship aspirants of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) is coming after the governorship campaign organisation of former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe, accused agents of the state government of targeting the campaign materials of Alaibe for removal.
Apaingolo, in the statement, directed all governorship aspirants of the PDP and APC and other political parties to comply with the rules and regulations guiding the erection of campaign posters in the state.
While authorising all relevant agencies to pull down all campaign posters adorning the streets of Yenagoa, which did not comply with the laws of the state, he declared that it was compulsory for all the aspirants aspiring to govern the state without exception to show good example by obeying the laws of the state.
He said those who must erect campaign posters in conspicuous spots, in the city and other parts of the state should approach the relevant agencies such as the Physical Planning and Development Control to fulfil the requisite conditions prescribed by the existing laws.
Apaingolo, however, took a swipe at Alaibe over the claims that his posters were being pulled down by agencies of government, noting that Alaibe and his team neither contacted nor paid any fee for the posters as required by law.
He expressed shock that an aspirant of the PDP, who seeks to govern the state, would rush to attack the government of his party over his own failure to approach the agencies to make the requisite payment for the erection of such campaign posters in the city.
Apaingolo said by his actions, Alaibe has shown the Nigerian public that he was in the governorship contest with the sinister motive to cause confusion and destabilise the state.
