Unidentified man in his thirties was electrocuted while allegedly destroying a campaign billboard in Ibadan’s Challenge area.
The man died while attempting to demolish one of a gubernatorial candidate’s campaign billboards in Oyo State.
According to reports, the man was electrocuted while destroying a campaign billboard for Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the Accord Party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 elections.
According to an eyewitness, the man was electrocuted when he touched the electric wire beside the billboard in Ibadan’s Challenge area on Friday.
According to an eyewitness who requested anonymity, the residents of the area had already warned the man not to destroy the campaign billboard.
“We had warned him against destroying people’s properties around him,” he explained, “but suddenly, we saw him shaking, and no one could move closer to him because it was obvious that he had mistakenly touched the electric wire beside the billboard.”
Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Media Director of the Bayo Adelabu Campaign Organisation, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state, on Saturday.
Tunji stated that there have been numerous reports of campaign billboards being destroyed throughout the state. Adelabu, he added, expressed deep regret over the incident.
“We heard about the unfortunate incident,” Tunji said. There have been conflicting reports about what the man was doing. Some thought he was repairing the billboard, while others thought he was vandalizing it. Whatever the case may be, no one, not a single Oyo State resident, wishes for anyone’s death. Even if he was vandalizing the board, we’d rather engage him positively than curse him.
“Oloye Bayo Adelabu expresses deep regret for the incident and prays for the soul of the deceased to rest in peace.” May Allah, the Almighty, accept him in Aljanah firdaus. His heartfelt condolences go to the unfortunate individual’s family.” He stated.
As the 2023 general elections approach, there have been reports of campaign billboards of candidates from various political parties being destroyed across the state.
Campaign billboards of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord Party (AP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Social Democratic Party have all been vandalized, destroyed, or completely removed in recent times (SDP).