A youth group in Ondo State, Akure Youth 4 BTO, has raised concerns over what it described as intimidation by agents of the state government following the installation of a billboard in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, the group said the billboard, mounted in Akure, was part of its voluntary effort to demonstrate support for the President and his “Renewed Hope” agenda ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group maintained that the initiative was peaceful, lawful, and driven by conviction, stressing that its members were neither mobilised nor sponsored to embark on the campaign.
However, Akure Youth 4 BTO alleged that shortly after the billboard was erected, individuals identified as agents of the Ondo State government demanded its removal and issued threats, despite not presenting any official order or citing a violation of existing regulations.
Describing the development as “disturbing,” the group questioned the motive behind what it termed an attempt to suppress support for the President within the state.
“If we are all working towards the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, then it is unclear why state actors would move against young people expressing support for that cause,” the statement read.
The group insisted it would not remove the billboard, arguing that it had acted within its constitutional rights to freedom of expression. It added that any attempt to forcibly dismantle the structure would be challenged through lawful means.
Akure Youth 4 BTO also called on the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to investigate the matter, while urging the President to take note of what it described as harassment of his supporters in Ondo State.
The group further appealed to Nigerians and advocates of democracy to support its stance, maintaining that Akure should remain a space for free political expression.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Ondo State government were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
