An African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship aspirant in Adamawa State, Engr. Omar Suleiman, has been ordered to pay a ₦3 million fine after a court found him liable for violating the state’s environmental regulations by placing campaign posters on public structures.
The judgment, delivered by a Magistrate Court in Yola, has drawn attention to the enforcement of campaign advertising rules ahead of political activities in the state.
Initially, Suleiman was arraigned over the alleged offence, but during the proceedings, Magistrate Musa Adamu ruled that the matter was not criminal but an administrative violation under Adamawa State’s environmental laws.
The court held that the governorship hopeful breached regulations governing the use of public infrastructure for political campaign materials and consequently imposed a ₦3 million fine.
In addition to the financial penalty, the magistrate directed Suleiman to caution his supporters against displaying campaign posters on public facilities, stressing that such actions violate the Executive Order issued by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, which regulates the placement of political posters and campaign materials across the state.
Reacting to the judgment, Suleiman’s lawyer, Barrister Bals Sanga, welcomed the court’s decision, noting that the defence had consistently argued that the case was administrative rather than criminal.
According to him, the ruling has now clarified the legal status of the matter and settled the issues surrounding the prosecution.
Also speaking after the judgment, Professor Jeffery Baminian, who represented the Omarrana Campaign Organisation, described the court’s decision as fair and commended the judiciary for handling the case professionally.
The judgment serves as a reminder to political parties, candidates and their supporters to comply with existing environmental and campaign regulations as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of future elections.
