Oyo APC, APM Trade Accusations Over Vandalised Alli Campaign Billboards

The All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli and the Allied People’s Movement (APM) in Oyo State have exchanged accusations over the alleged vandalisation of campaign billboards belonging to Alli and his running mate, Soji Adedeji, in Ibadan.

The dispute escalated on Wednesday after the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) accused supporters of APM governorship candidate Bimbo Adekanmbi of destroying the billboards at several locations across the state capital. The APM denied involvement and accused the APC of making unsubstantiated allegations.

The accusations were contained in separate statements issued by SSACO Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, and APM Governorship Campaign Council Director of Communication and spokesperson, Yinka Oladoyinbo.

Oladele said the affected billboards were located in Mokola, Sango, Monatan-Olodo Road, Odo-Ona and the Toll Gate-Iwo Road section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, among other areas.

The APC campaign organisation described the alleged vandalism as unacceptable and linked the incident to what it called growing political tension ahead of the 2027 governorship election. It also alleged that the development followed an attack on Alli’s wife and two other APC candidates in Ibadan the previous week.

SSACO called on Governor Seyi Makinde and Adekanmbi to caution their supporters against violence. It also urged the state Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to investigate the incident, identify those responsible and ensure they face the law.

The organisation appealed to APC members and supporters to remain calm and avoid retaliation, insisting that candidates must be allowed to campaign without intimidation or damage to their materials. It also said Alli’s proposed governance blueprint, known as Oyo AHEAD, would focus on the state’s development if he is elected.

However, the APM rejected the allegations, saying the party and its governorship candidate had no involvement in any damage to APC campaign materials.

Oladoyinbo accused the APC of attempting to link Adekanmbi and the APM to violence without evidence. He described the governorship candidate as a man of peace and said the party should not be held responsible for an incident whose perpetrators had yet to be established.

The APM spokesperson also criticised the APC’s campaign approach, alleging that the party was using false claims to gain public support ahead of the election. He maintained that the accusations would not change the APM’s campaign activities or its commitment to peaceful electioneering.

Despite the exchange, both campaign organisations called on security agencies to investigate the matter. The APM urged the police to establish the facts and identify those responsible, while also asking its members to remain peaceful and continue their campaign activities without fear.

There was no independent confirmation in the statements of who vandalised the billboards. The allegations against Adekanmbi’s supporters remain disputed, and the outcome of any police investigation was not provided.