LASAA orders TAN to remove Jonathan ‘s posters

Lagos State Government through the Lagos State
Signage and Advertising Agency, LASAA has
ordered President Jonathan's campaign group and
the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria to
remove campaign posters of President Jonathan
pasted illegally on street lamp posts in the state.
The Managing Director of LASAA, Mr. George Noah,
said if the concerned parties refused to heed to the
order, the agency's enforcement team would
remove them in line with the enabling law.
Mr Noah stated this in Ikeja on Wednesday.
He said LASAA, due to certain developments in
electioneering campaigns, had decided to tell the
public about the impunity and illegality that "posed
immeasurable and long term damage to those who
erect, operate and maintain billboards in the state."
Noah said, "In the last 48 hours, two advertisers in
the outdoor sector had terminated multi-million
naira contracts with outdoor agencies registered by
LASAA to operate in the state."
According to the LASAA DG, the contracts were
terminated as a result of parallel and illegal
mounting of Jonathan's campaign materials on
posts paid for by the advertisers.

"The two advertisers in question are a Chinese telecoms firm, Huawei, and Globacom. The outdoor agencies affected are Touch Point Limited and Clearedge Limited. Both agencies have lost N350m. "The illegal and brazen act by agents of the Peoples Democratic Party is unjust, inconsiderate and therefore unacceptable at a time outdoor advertising is facing stiff competition from television, radio and the social media.

"The illegal act is capable of destroying outdoor
agencies in our state. It will almost certainly lead to
lay-off of workers and loss of revenue for our
stakeholders," Noah said.

In addition, Mr Noah siad that in line with the
agency's statutory functions to regulate and control
outdoor advertisement in Lagos, the illegal posters
must go.

"LASAA hereby directs the Transformation
Ambassadors of Nigeria and its affiliates to remove
all campaign materials on street lamp posts in
Lagos State immediately, failing which our
enforcement team will remove same in line with
the enabling law setting up LASAA."

The LASAA DG also alleged that the PDP agents had
been removing the advert materials of Glo on
poles, which the telecom company paid for, to
replace them with Jonathan's materials.

Noah further alleged that policemen usually gave
the PDP agents backing, adding that the police had
withdrawn the policemen attached to the agency.