Lagos Vows To Sue PDP Over Illegal Outdoor Adverts

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

The management of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) has concluded plans to sue the Peoples Democratic Party and its affiliates for brazen violation of its constitutional mandate.

This was the decision of the Agency following the continued illegal display of campaign materials of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party on infrastructure within the State without recourse to laws regulating advertisement.

The Agency’s solicitors, Messrs Priory Terrace Solicitors confirmed this development to newsmen on Thursday, January 22, 2015.

In company of the Agency’s Legal Adviser, Mrs. Oyeyemi Lekan-Osunmakinde, Mr. Hafiz Shoremi-Balogun of Priory Terrace Solicitors informed the media that the works have been concluded on the courts processes and that these would be filed immediately the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) calls off their industrial action.

Shoremi-Balogun said, “The hallmark of every civilized society is supremacy of law. No one is above the law. Every person, institution and authority is required to comply with the spirit and letter of the law. It is therefore illegal for PDP and its sympathizers to embark on indiscriminate display of political campaign materials in defiance of applicable laws.”

“It is more worrisome that these acts of illegality are being perpetuated by those who ought to know. The campaign materials which are mounted on street lamp posts in the State which have been paid for by other advertisers is not only a breach of the law, it is also a calculated attempt to frustrate the economic objectives of advertisers who have paid for the right to advertise on these poles.”

In her own reaction, Lekan-Osunmakinde said: “Multi-million Naira advert contracts have been canceled by advertisers as a result of the acts of illegality embarked on by the affected political party. The essence of advertisement is maximum publicity and exposure. However by illegally placing their campaign materials to obstruct those lawfully placed, the rights of others are being violated.”

She added that LASAA has not prevented PDP or any other political party from publicizing their programmes in Lagos State. “Every political party has the right to campaign and solicit for votes. But in line with the Agency’s statutory functions, these advertisement must be in accordance with the law.”

Shoremi-Balogun appealed to members of JUSUN and other Judiciary stakeholders to re-open the courts to allow aggrieved citizens to seek redress in the courts. In his words: “LASAA is a creation of law and the Agency has continued to operate within its enabling law. Immediately the strike is called off, we are filing our papers in Court against the political party.”