Olajide Adediran (Jandor), Lagos state PDP governorship candidate has praised the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) for speaking out against Governor Babajide Sanwo-led government’s clampdown on advertisers working for opposition parties in the run-up to the state’s governorship election.
The WITNESS recalls that Jandor had accused the Lagos state government of putting pressure on two advert agencies, Afromedia and JCDecaux to refund the main opposition party on already paid and running advert contracts.
Jandor condemned Sanwo-Olu for his uncivilized and undemocratic approach to stifling the efforts of opposition parties in gaining visibility and its damaging effect on the advertising industry in the state.
However, commending the group via a press statement on Friday, the candidate of the main opposition party said the call by the advertising association vindicates him.
“Lagos State PDP Governorship Candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (JANDOR) has commended the leadership of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) for their recent call on the Lagos State government to desist from its clampdown action on operators in the industry,” the statement read.
The leadership of OAAN in a letter to the Managing Director of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASSA) dated 26th September 2022 stated that members of the association are apprehensive of the threats of the APC-led government to victimize outdoor advertising operators who take business from the opposition parties. They referred to the disappointing “experience of the past” when some outdoor advertising companies were forced to abruptly stop running campaigns for the PDP governorship candidate.
OAAN also appealed for a level playing field for its members as regards the deployment of political campaign materials in the state which they said will enhance voters’ education, a free, fair, and credible election.