An Adamawa State Magistrate Court has fined Suleiman Umar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, ₦3 million after he was found liable for pasting campaign materials on public buildings in the state. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, was swiftly followed by a formal government warning to all politicians to stop defacing public infrastructure or face prosecution.
Government Warns Politicians After Court Verdict
Hours after the court's verdict, Humwashi Wonosikou, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, addressed a press conference to make the government's position clear. "For some time now, the government has watched with concern the indiscriminate pasting of campaign posters and political materials on flyovers, bridges, public buildings, streetlights, road medians and other public infrastructure," Wonosikou said. He stressed that the facilities in question were built with public funds and were not intended to serve as advertising surfaces for political actors.
Law Applies to All Parties Equally
Wonosikou described the court judgment as a landmark outcome that had settled the matter beyond debate, adding that it demonstrated the government's resolve to protect public assets. "The law will be enforced without fear or favour. Members of the ruling party and the opposition stand on equal footing before the law," he said, adding that no individual would receive preferential treatment on the basis of political affiliation or influence. He also acknowledged that the prohibition was not a new measure, saying the law had always existed and applied equally to all citizens regardless of their standing.
Call for Lawful Campaign Methods
The spokesperson urged politicians to channel their campaigns through lawful means, including approved billboards, designated advertising spaces, television, radio, digital platforms and town hall meetings. "Political participation is a constitutional right. Vandalising public infrastructure is not," Wonosikou said.
APC Posters Still Visible After Warning
However, a correspondent from The Punch who toured Yola, the state capital, shortly after the press conference observed that campaign posters bearing the All Progressives Congress (APC) branding remained visibly displayed on flyovers and other public buildings in the city, raising questions about how evenly the crackdown would be applied.
