The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reported the destruction of more than 15 campaign billboards belonging to President Bola Tinubu and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, in Bende local government area. The party disclosed this in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Uche Aguoru, and sent to Legit.ng on September 24, 2026. The APC described the act as intentional and linked it to concerns it had raised earlier about attempts to incite tension in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
APC Claims Over 15 Billboards Destroyed in Bende LGA
According to the party's statement, the billboards were destroyed in the early hours of Tuesday, September 22, 2026. The APC said its preliminary investigations into the matter pointed to a deliberate effort to frustrate its campaign activities across the state. The party also noted that there had been earlier instances of threats and intimidation directed at opposition figures and citizens in Abia, which it said were consistent with the latest incident.
The APC framed the alleged billboard destruction as part of a broader attempt to frighten and intimidate the opposition ahead of the polls. It urged its supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, and not to take laws into their own hands, despite the alleged attacks on its campaign materials. The party said it would continue to stand by its supporters and use lawful means to protect their rights and ensure their participation in the democratic process was not obstructed.
APC Calls on Police, DSS, and Presidency to Intervene
The party said it had already alerted relevant security agencies over the development and would escalate the matter to the presidency, given that some of the billboards destroyed belonged to the president. In its statement, the APC specifically called on the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Inspector General of Police, and the Commissioner of Police in Abia State to investigate the matter.
"We warn that the destruction of campaign materials, intimidation of opposition political parties and their supporters, and attacks on President Tinubu's billboards are unacceptable and must stop forthwith," the party said. Aguoru added that the APC would not fold its arms while what it described as attacks on its campaign materials and supporters continued, and that it would defend the interests of its members and candidates, including Tinubu, through legal means.
State Government Yet to Respond to Allegation
At the time of filing this report, the Abia State government, led by Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP), had yet to address the allegation. The APC's statement did not name any individual or group as responsible for the destruction, but it linked the incident to what it termed attempts to incite tension in the state ahead of the 2027 election.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Abia APC disowned an alleged petition to the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which reportedly asked for the relocation of the Bende collation centre ahead of the 2027 election. The party described that petition as fake, adding that it did not initiate it. The latest development adds to the political tension in Abia State as parties gear up for the 2027 general elections.
