The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as “fake and handiwork of mischief makers” the reports that the state government banned billboard owners from accepting advert campaign projects from opposition parties in the state.

The Deputy Director, Media and Publicity for the Edo PDP Campaign Management Council and the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said this while speaking to journalists in Benin, the state capital on Wednesday.

Nehikhare stated the state government only had the foresight to pay billboard agents ahead of the official kick-off of campaigns, adding: “It’s not a coincidence that the elections are around the corner. As far back as a few months ago, Edo State Government discussed with all billboard owners to make payments for quite a number of billboards in the Benin metropolis.

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“We did not take possession because we were waiting for the campaign to kick off and if anybody has gone to a billboard agent to pay for a billboard, the person who pays first and is given a date for when his account will start to run is actually the legal owner of that billboard.

“We, as a party, raised the money for these billboards so they are a property of the Edo PDP. We were more strategic in planning and took advantage of the time to make payments for most of the billboards. If a billboard agent has taken money from you and cannot post your advert, you should go back and get your money because we paid for them. We have no apologies to anyone who didn’t have the foresight to do it.

“It is very embarrassing when people carry sensational headlines like Edo State bans other parties from using billboards.

“The Edo State Government is not a gangster and does not act like the APC. In Lagos State that happens, but in Edo, such can’t happen. We do not own billboards; we are not agents of billboards. What we do is to have policies in place to ensure they are not causing nuisance in our streets by controlling where the billboards are located,” the commissioner said.

The Star