BENSESA's new billboard and poster regulations spark a political firestorm as Benue's PDP accuses Gov. Alia's administration of using environmental law to suppress opposition campaigning ahead of 2027.
Makurdi, Benue State — September 2026
The Benue State Environmental Sanitation Authority (BENSESA) has warned political parties, candidates, and campaign organisations against unauthorised erection of billboards and posting of campaign materials across the state, a directive that has triggered a sharp political backlash from the opposition PDP just months ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The warning, contained in a notice dated September 3, 2026, and signed by BENSESA General Manager Anta Igbaato, described indiscriminate erection of billboards and pasting of campaign materials as a potential environmental nuisance, urging political actors to obtain proper approval before placing such materials in public or private spaces.
BENSESA cited Section 14(a) of the BENSESA Law 2005, which states that no person may paste a handbill, poster, notice, sign, or advertisement on any street, public, or private property without the authority's permission.
The agency further noted that Section 14(b) empowers it to remove, deface, or destroy any unauthorised notice, handbill, sign, advertisement, or poster, while Section 15 designates BENSESA as the "full custodian of all Road Setbacks within the State." The agency directed political parties to obtain its approval for both posters and billboard locations, warning that non-compliance would attract enforcement action.
Reacting through State Publicity Secretary Bright Antyo, the PDP accused the Alia administration of using BENSESA to suppress opposition political activity ahead of 2027, describing the directive as "anti-democratic" and a "threat to free political participation." The party said: "While we support environmental sanitation and orderly urban development, we reject any attempt to use a government agency as a political tool to frustrate legitimate political engagement and freedom of expression guaranteed under the Constitution."
The PDP specifically questioned the timing of the directive, coming just as political parties begin ramping up voter engagement ahead of the 2027 cycle, and alleged that BENSESA's discretionary approval powers could be wielded to favour the ruling party while restricting opposition candidates. "Democracy thrives on a level playing field, not on selective regulations designed to confer undue advantage on those in power," the party said, calling on Governor Alia to reverse what it termed an "ill-advised directive."
The PDP further urged INEC, civil society organisations, the media, and security agencies to closely monitor developments in the state, insisting that the 2027 elections must be conducted in an atmosphere of fairness, openness, and equal opportunity for all contestants.
The dispute adds Benue to a broader wave of pre-2027 political tension flaring up nationally, as parties and state governments clash over the rules governing campaign activity well ahead of the actual election season, underscoring how contentious even routine environmental regulation can become once framed through the lens of electoral advantage.
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