From Lagos Streets to Kaduna Billboards: Who Is Responsible for Nigeria’s Political Campaign Mess?

As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, political parties are increasing their visibility through campaign posters, banners and billboards. But beyond the political messages and promises, questions are emerging about the use of public spaces, the treatment of opposition campaign materials and the reported deployment of security personnel to protect campaign billboards in Kaduna.

The debate has drawn attention to the All Progressives Congress (APC), with concerns raised about campaign materials in Lagos and reports of security operatives guarding President Bola Tinubu’s campaign billboards in Kaduna.

The Lagos State chapter of the APC commenced its governorship and House of Assembly campaign in September 2026, with plans to mobilise supporters across the state’s 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas. The Guardian.

However, the visibility of political campaign materials in Lagos has also generated controversy.

On October 1, 2026, BarristerNG reported that Ladipo Johnson, a senatorial candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alleged that APC campaign posters and billboards were prominent across the city while opposition campaign materials were being vandalised or removed.

These remain allegations and have not, through that report alone, been independently established. BarristerNG.

Beyond the political competition, the question of how campaign materials are displayed and eventually removed deserves attention. Posters pasted on unauthorised surfaces, abandoned banners and discarded flyers can contribute to visual pollution and environmental waste.

The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) has published guidelines restricting where political campaign materials may be displayed. Under its published guidelines for the 2023 general elections, posters were permitted only on designated surfaces on inner streets, not on highways, major roads, electricity poles, transformers or bridge structures.

The guidelines also stated that improperly displayed campaign materials could be removed. LASAA 

Although these guidelines were issued for the 2023 elections, they provide useful context for understanding the regulation of political advertising in Lagos. Their applicability to the current campaign period should be confirmed with LASAA.

The important question is whether campaign rules are being consistently enforced and whether political parties take responsibility for the materials distributed by their candidates and supporters.

The controversy took another turn in Kaduna ahead of the APC’s presidential campaign flag-off on October 24, 2026.

According to a report by The ICIR published on October 23, personnel of the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were reportedly assigned to protect Tinubu’s campaign posters and billboards along major roads leading towards the Kaduna Township Stadium.

The report quoted a security operative as saying personnel had been directed to prevent the campaign materials from being vandalised, particularly at night. The ICIR 

The development attracted criticism from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who questioned why campaign billboards appeared to require protection while communities across Nigeria continued to face security challenges.

In his reaction, Atiku argued that protecting campaign materials should not overshadow the government's responsibility to protect citizens.

His comments turned the reported deployment into a broader debate about public priorities, security and political campaigning.

However, the APC Presidential Campaign Council challenged the interpretation of the incident. On October 24, its spokesperson, Dele Alake, alleged that a photograph of a security vehicle on routine patrol near a billboard had been misrepresented as evidence that security personnel were assigned to protect campaign materials.

The party also accused Atiku and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of attempting to discredit its campaign. Radio Nigeria Kaduna

These competing accounts make it important to distinguish the initial media report and the security operative's account from the APC's subsequent response. The available reports do not, on their own, establish the full circumstances surrounding the deployment or who authorised and funded it.

The Lagos and Kaduna controversies raise questions that extend beyond one political party.

Who is responsible for removing campaign materials after elections? If public agencies are assigned duties connected to political campaigns, what is the purpose of those assignments, and who authorises them? Are the same rules applied to the ruling party and opposition parties?

These are reasonable questions for citizens to ask as election campaigns become more visible.

Political parties have the right to campaign within the law, and authorities have a responsibility to maintain public order and prevent vandalism. At the same time, campaign activities should not become an excuse for indiscriminate use of public infrastructure or inconsistent enforcement of advertising regulations.

Where allegations of vandalism or misuse of public resources arise, they should be investigated and supported by verifiable evidence rather than political assumptions.

With the presidential campaign now underway, campaign posters and billboards will continue to feature prominently in Nigeria's political landscape.

But political communication involves more than putting candidates' faces on walls, bridges and major roads. It also requires respect for public spaces, compliance with applicable regulations and accountability for the use of public resources.

For Lagos residents, the issue is whether campaign materials are displayed responsibly and whether existing signage rules are enforced fairly. In Kaduna, the debate concerns the reported protection of campaign billboards, the explanation provided by the APC and the wider questions about public security.

As Nigerians follow the road to 2027, the focus should remain on verifiable information, transparent governance and the issues that affect citizens' daily lives.

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