“Presidency Disclaiming 2027 Campaign Billboards Vindicates Us,” PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chapter in Edo State has stated that the president’s decision to disown Governor Monday Okpebholo’s billboard ads for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election is a confirmation of the party’s previous stance that the action constituted an electoral law violation.

Those erecting billboards featuring the president and vice president in advance of 2027 were reprimanded by the presidency yesterday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, for violating the country’s electoral regulations.

As much as the president and his deputy valued the thronging party supporters, Onanuga emphasized in the statement that they should also be aware that doing so would give the two most senior public servants an unfair advantage and that the Electoral Acts prohibited early campaigns before elections, further warning that such actions could damage the democratic process’ credibility.

In a statement in Benin City, titled: “Presidency Disclaims 2027 Campaign Billboards Nationwide,” and signed by the party Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, and made available to journalists, declared that presidency’s position marked a major blow to Okpebholo’s attempts to curry favour with President Bola Tinubu through “reckless and unlawful political grandstanding.”

The statement further read: “The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier raised the alarm in a statement titled: ‘Okpebholo’s Launch of 2027 Presidential Campaigns for Tinubu in Edo: An Insult, an Affront to the Constitution’.”

“The Presidency’s intervention clearly validates our concerns and exposes the deceitful tactics of the Edo APC, which has shown a complete disregard for the nation’s electoral laws. Their antics have not only embarrassed Edo people but have now drawn a firm rebuke from the very leadership they were trying to impress.”

“We now await the response of the Edo State Government to this direct disapproval from the Presidency. As we previously noted, Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 clearly states: ‘The period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”

“The Edo PDP remains committed to defending constitutional order and protecting the integrity of our democracy against desperate and unlawful manipulation by the APC.”