By Auwal Mohammed
Gombe (Nigeria) — Chairman Gombe State Committee on Environmental Sanitation and other Related Matters, Nasiru Haruna says, his committee has embarked on removal of illegal structures in the streets, including billboards and posters of politicians in the state.
Haruna was reacting to allegations by opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) who accused the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), and Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of political persecution and infringement of their rights to political association, as well as removal of billboards and posters of President Muhammadu Buhari in Gombe.
The Chairman of the Committee, who is also the General Manager and Special Adviser to the Governor on GOSEPA (Gombe State Environmental Protection Agency), said, the Governor had to consult with INEC before embarking on the removal of the posters and billboards.
According to him, “Please go to INEC and ask if it is time for campaigns. We have many laws, please go and confirm from INEC. Before the government formed this committee, I’m fully aware that the Governor directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to get some clearance from INEC before forming this committee. I believe the Government did it. So that question should be passed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, he will highlight you more”, when asked the fault in joint posters with President Buhari.
Nasiru said, “We have removed that poster and I am ready to exhibit it to you now, His Excellency has directed that any joint poster should be removed, he has respect for the President of Nigeria and Gombe is his constituency, but anybody who makes a joint poster and place it without authority should remove that poster.
“It is not true that we are harassing the opposition party by removing their posters. Even anybody who join poster with the Governor, we do remove it. If you want to contest in any party, do your own poster and follow due process”, he stressed.
He gave the mandate of the seven-man Task Force Committee which included him as; enforce/remove any illegal/unauthorized bill boards, banners, notice boards, posters and their likes within the State.
The Committee was also mandated to co-opt any security outfit in exercising their function within the state and commence duty with immediate effect. The function of the committee will be relieved by His Excellency the Governor whenever he deems fit.
Members of the seven-man Task force Committee comprise of two representatives from the Gombe State Agency for Social Services, the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and Haruna Umar Malala, Director of Finance and Supply at GOSEPA who is the secretary to the task force.
