The New Nigeria People’s Party, Ondo State chapter, has called on security operatives to arrest and prosecute persons destroying its aspirants’ billboards across the state.

The Ondo State Publicity Secretary of NNPP, Wasiu Sanusi, said on Thursday in Akure that there was an urgent need to stop the trend to prevent it from degenerating into a crisis.

Mr Sanusi said that a faceless group had been destroying the billboards of its governorship aspirants to prevent it from unseating the ruling party in the state.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the off-cycle governorship elections in Ondo State will be held on November 16, 2024.

The commission’s spokesperson, Sam Olumekun said the tenure of the Governor of Ondo State would end on February 23, 2025.

INEC said, “As provided in Section 178 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), election into the said office shall be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of the last holder of the office.’’

Ondo State is among the eight Nigerian states whose governorship elections are held outside the cycle of the general elections due to the outcomes of previous litigation.

The others are Anambra, Osun, Edo, Ekiti, Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states.

According to INEC, the party primaries are to be held from April 6 to April 27, 2024, while the submission of the list of nominated candidates through the online portal will start on April 29, 2024 and close on May 20, 2024.

Mr Sanusi said, “NNPP is the main opposition party in Ondo State. The destruction of party aspirants’ billboards could degenerate into a crisis. We appeal to security operatives to stop the trend.”

He said that NNPP would not have reacted to the development but realised that if the trend was not contained other party faithful could do the same leading to disruption of a peaceful election. 

(NAN)