The Menace of 2019 Electoral Campaign Posters and Environmental Sustainability in Nigeria
Campaign poster is one of the most prominent features during political elections, employed by aspirants to intrigued and inform electorates of their messages and identity.
These posters raises questions over free and fair election, financial cost of election, littering, environmental degradation and aesthetic of public spaces. While the environmental argument on election posters are considered by some as a tactical necessity because they inform constituents and increase the public’s familiarity with candidates, others complain that that they are unsightly, ill-fitting, a scourge to the environment and modern society. These materials come in varying sizes — big, medium, large placards and advertising boards in form of paper and polyester materials.
In Nigeria, election posters have been tightly entwined into our political culture. As we approach the 2019 general elections, we have begun to witness the competitive chaos building up in our cities and towns. Posters are seen positioned on already saturated surfaces of public and private structures such as lamp poles, road signs, bus-stops, walls and private buildings. These posters presently have altered and battered the aesthetics of the surroundings, and contributed to the ongoing waste management struggle in the society.
A Quadrennial Solid Waste Problem
With a quadrennial election in Nigeria, politicians deface the environment every four years with electoral campaign materials without giving any consideration to its effect on the environment and the people they propose to govern. A study by Margaret Olugbemisola in Ilorin (Kwara state, Nigeria), observed that posters remain difficult to remove, they are half torn, with the torn ones littered around the areas where they were pasted during the campaigns. According to her findings, majority of the respondents were not happy about the unsightly manner in which posters are displayed and the ugly effect it creates when removed after the elections. Also majority of the respondents agreed that only high density areas meant for low income earners were mostly affected, while the rich people’s built-environment remains clean and attractive.
After the 2015 general election, a study on electioneering campaigns and solid waste was carried out in Lagos. The study observed that the waste generated during elections, were generally abandoned and allowed to fade away over the course of time. Such materials become instruments of soaring and unabated environmental pollution, a breeding ground for disease vectors, blocked drainages that results to flooding, hindrance to free flow of traffic and hazards to road users. Above all, the waste defaces the scenic environment and turns it hideously ugly. This is not only peculiar to Lagos Metropolis but also in other cities and towns in Nigeria.
During the 2015 general elections in Lagos state, the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) reported over 100,000 political posters were illegally pasted daily across the state in the space of three months.
Managing the Environmental Menace Posed by Election Posters
To ensure a clean and safe environment before, during and after political campaigns and elections in Nigeria, the following are some strategies already been practiced around the world:
Limits on Posters
Section 19 and 28 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, Ireland constitutional law, states that election posters may only be erected after polling day has been fixed by ministerial order, and for a maximum of 30 days before polling day. Posters must be removed within 7 days after polling day. Each breach of these provisions may result in a €150 on-the-spot fine. Such laws which would regulate the use of posters for political publicity should be put in place at the Federal, State and Local government levels. There should be heavy sanctions for candidates and their representatives who fall short of these laws. While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guideline for political campaigns addresses illegal campaigns, cost of campaign materials, political advertisement content among others, none of these INEC’s guidelines tackles the assembling and clearing of electoral posters.
Similarly a new rule set by the Philippines Commission on Elections in 2018, stipulates the maximum amount of materials and size that may be printed as well as encourage the use of recyclable and environment-friendly materials and require candidates to indicate in their materials the phrase, “This material should be recycled”.
Furthermore, civil society organizations can play a vital role in managing such situations. For instance, a group known as the ‘Tidy Towns Together’ in Ireland network successfully implemented an initiative that sought the voluntary commitment of candidates not to erect posters within their towns and villages in their general election in 2016. This initiative has also been adopted by Louth town in England seeking voluntary commitment from all candidates not to erect posters within the 50km/h speed limits of their respective villages and towns.
Digital Billboards
During the United states 2012 election, there was an increase in the use of digital billboards. Using digital billboard technology eliminates the waste generated by posters, the message on the board can be changed in minutes which gives numerous candidates the opportunity to feature in strategic locations around the cities. Digital billboard will generate higher revenue for advertisement agency and create more jobs for the populace. The erection of more of such bill boards can tackle the use of traditional election posters, as well as increase the aesthetics of cities. However these digital boards are not without disputes, they might pose safety concerns as visual distractions to motorists, high energy consumption rate and affordability concerns for many ordinary candidates. Talking about going digital, the use of social media have proven to be a more environmentally sustainable and a cost effective way for candidates to connect directly with targeted potential supporters. This is evident in the success of President Obama’s first and second presidential campaigns, viewed by many as the benchmark for political campaign through social media activities.. In conclusion, we understand that outright elimination of posters or the absolute use of digital billboards may be too aggressive and might only do more to assist only established parties and hinder new parties in creating the desired acknowledgment of their new brand and candidates on a wider scale. But collective efforts must be made to remove the electoral waste after such events. As suggested by Debora A. E in her paper, INEC may take the initiative to clean up and properly dispose of the materials by putting in place machinery for cleaning up after the exercise. In that case, the candidates and or their political parties may be made to pay for such task ahead of registration. In addition, adequate awareness and education of politicians and the electorates alike should be created towards keeping the built-environment clean, during and after political campaigns.
Bibliography
Anne-Marie McNally. (3 Feb, 2016). In Defence of Posters. Broadsheet
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Denrele Animasaun. (1 Feb, 2015). Election posters: The good, the bad and the very hilarious. Vanguard Newspaper
Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), Guidelines for political rallies and campaigns, by Political parties, candidates, aspirants and their supporters. 2014
Jason O’Sullivan. (4 Febrarary, 2016). The primitive power of election posters cannot be underestimated. The journal.ie.
Margaret Olugbemisola Areo and Adebowale Biodun Areo, Political Propaganda, Aesthetics and Sustainable Environment, 2016, Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy Vol 5 No 2
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