Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, has ordered the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Engr. Omar Suleiman, to pay N3 million in damages for pasting campaign posters on public structures in violation of the state's environmental regulations. The ruling was delivered on Thursday, July 9, 2026, by Chief Magistrate Musa Adamu of Chief Magistrate Court II, following a suit filed by the Adamawa State Ministry of Environment, the Adamawa State Urban Planning Board, and the Office of the Attorney-General.
The complainants alleged that Suleiman violated the state's executive order by displaying campaign posters on public infrastructure, including the Unity Flyover in Jimeta, the Jippu-Jam Roundabout in Yola, and the Mai Doki Roundabout in Jimeta. The court held that the defendant breached Section 30(1) of the Environmental Protection Agency Law, Cap. 51, Laws of Adamawa State, 1997. Although the complaint was initially filed as a criminal matter, the magistrate ruled that it would be treated as an administrative proceeding. Consequently, Suleiman was not arraigned, no charge was read, and no plea was taken. The court simply imposed a ₦3 million administrative fine for the unlawful placement of campaign posters on public facilities.
Magistrate Adamu also directed Suleiman to advise his supporters against pasting campaign posters on public infrastructure, noting that such actions contravene the executive order issued by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, which regulates the use of public structures for political campaign materials. Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the ADC governorship candidate, Barrister Bala Sanga, welcomed the court's decision, clarifying that the proceedings did not amount to a criminal trial or criminal conviction. He stressed that the matter was purely administrative, arising from an executive order, and that no criminal charge was read, no plea was taken, and no formal arraignment took place. “This was an administrative issue, not a criminal prosecution. There was no criminal conviction against Ambassador Omar Suleiman, and nothing in the judgment affects his eligibility or prospects in the 2027 governorship election,” Sanga stated. He, however, complained about what he described as the government's use of administrative fines to intimidate political opponents.
Meanwhile, counsel to the complainants, Salihu Muhammad, Senior State Counsel II, welcomed the court's decision. A representative of the Omarana Campaign Organisation, Prof. Jeffrey Barminas, said the campaign respected the court's decision and would comply fully with every aspect of the ruling. Barminas disclosed that even before the judgment, the campaign had directed its supporters through various communication platforms to stop placing campaign posters on prohibited public structures in line with the state's environmental regulations. He added that the organisation would immediately commence the removal of campaign posters from affected locations to ensure full compliance.
In a statement signed by the Director-General of the Omarana Campaign Organisation, Elder Mark Wosi, the campaign welcomed the court's decision, describing it as an affirmation of the judiciary's independence and the rule of law. The campaign further urged supporters to avoid inflammatory comments, provocation, or actions capable of disrupting public peace, insisting that the movement remains committed to democratic principles and lawful political engagement.
The ruling has drawn attention to the selective enforcement of the law, as campaign materials promoting Governor Fintiri, President Bola Tinubu, and other APC politicians remain visibly displayed on the same flyover and other public structures across the state. Critics have questioned why only one opposition candidate is facing prosecution while posters belonging to ruling party leaders remain untouched. Legal practitioners have also questioned the legal foundation of the charges, arguing that an executive order alone cannot create a criminal offence. Despite the controversy, the court's ruling serves as a warning to political actors ahead of the 2027 electioneering campaign, as authorities insist that political activities must be conducted in accordance with environmental and urban planning regulations.
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