Tension over Removal of Senator’s Billboards in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Political tensions have heightened in Kwara State over the sudden removal of Senator Saliu Mustapha’s billboards erected at strategic areas of Ilorin, the state capital by suspected hoodlums.
Some of Senator Mustapha’s billboards removed included those on Taiwo/Unity Road Junction, Police ‘A’ Division, Maraba, and the Tunde Idiagbon International Airport’s exit gate.

The installed billboards were constructed to convey Christmas greetings to Christians in the state.
THISDAY gathered that the removal of the billboards, might not be unconnected with the alleged governorship ambition of the federal lawmaker come 2027 in the state.

Senator Mustapha who is also Turaki of Ilorin, hails from Kwara Central senatorial district while the incumbent governor, Alhaji AbdulRazaq also hails from the same district.
The senator’s alleged ambition, it was further gathered, is said to be against the position of the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who is allegedly backing the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Yakkubu Danladi-Salihu as his preferred successor.

The speaker is from the Kwara North senatorial district of the state.
The lawmaker is believed to be more popular than the governor’s choice because of his philanthropic support to the members of the ruling APC and other members of the public in the state.

The cold war between the governor and the senator recently led to the removal of the lawmaker’s billboards after he donated N500 million to construct an ultra-modern pavilion at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin.
The pavilion is intended for use during the annual Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union meetings.
He announced the donation during the 59th Annual General Meeting of the IEDPU, held at the forecourt of the Emir’s palace last Wednesday.

At the event, Mustapha, who was represented by the immediate past Chairman of IEDPU chairman, Alhaji Uthman Ottan, pledged N25 million in donations in addition to the pavilion project.
Other prominent figures also made significant contributions, including the chief launcher, Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, who donated N100 million, and Governor AbdulRazaq, who promised to complete all ongoing union projects.
However, the General Manager of the Kwara State Signage and Advertising Agency (KWASAA), Alhaji Ismail Asukuti, also confirmed the incident.
He explained that some of the billboards were removed due to construction work in the area, as well as the non-payment of advertisement fees.

Asukuti said: “Senator Mustapha’s billboard at Police ‘A’ Division was removed because of the construction work in the area. The company handling the construction work on the overhead bridge had marked that the billboard in that area should be removed, while the billboard at Maraba was not paid for by the senator. This is against the advertising law.”
 But in his reaction, Mustapha’s media aide, Andulkareem Alabi,  said: “It’s very unfortunate. This isn’t the first time Senator Saliu Mustapha, the Turaki of Ilorin Emirate, would be openly felicitating with the Christians on Christmas and New Year season, but this is the first time the billboards would be very brazenly vandalised in broad daylight.
“There’s no justification for the vandalism. We duly paid for the exposure of the campaigns to the relevant federal government agency.

“The only agency of government responsible for exposure of the material is the Advertisement Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON). It’s a federal agency, not state”.
Abdukkareem added, “For the avoidance of doubt, it is not within the legal purview of the state, acting through KWASAA to vet or reject campaigns exposure.
 “And that’s why it’s hard for us to believe that it’s an agency of the state government that’s responsible for this act of vandalism.

“Moreso, we believe that the fact that both Senator Saliu Mustapha and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq belong in the same political party, the APC, should matter if there’s any issues at all with the campaign.
“But be that as it may, we’ve duly reported to the relevant security agencies and we’re hoping that the criminal act would be thoroughly investigated and justice will eventually be served.
“We’re also believing that the Kwara State Government would be alarmed by this sheer act of wickedness, and they would be interested in bringing the culprits to book in order to forestall a recurrence of such criminal act.

“Senator Saliu Mustapha is a gentleman non-discriminatory politician. So, he would wait for the relevant agency of government to act first before taking further actions. But be rest assured that we’re not helpless”.