Ebonyi: APC Announces Decision On Umahi’s N5 million Fine

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Ebonyi State Chapter has reacted to the N5 million fine imposed on the party for violating Governor Dave Umahi’s executive order on political campaigns.

Naija News recalls that the State Commissioner of Information, Uchenna Orji announced via a statement issued on Sunday,  that the APC would have to pay N5m for flouting the law of the state.

In November, Umahi signed an executive order III into law, which prohibits political parties from using public places for political activities without seeking and obtaining clearance from the state government.

The order also prohibits political parties from pasting campaign posters on “critical infrastructures” in the state without obtaining clearance from the government.

Reacting to the sanction by the governor, the Chairman of the APC in the state, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, said the party would pay the fine given that the sanction was backed up by a law in the state.

Speaking to Premium Times, he said, “If the state government has said that the APC violated the law through indecent pasting of posters, then there is nothing we can do other than to pay whatever fine that is accrued. The law cuts across parties.”

When the publication asked if he was disturbed that Umahi pardoned other political parties that violated the order, Okoro-Emegha said the governor has the authority to forgive.

“If he (Umahi) has decided to punish his own, it’s leadership by example. Charity begins at home, as they said,” he stated.

The APC chairman, however, insisted that the party would need to see where the posters were pasted and determine if they indeed violated the order.

He further said the party would sanction the candidates whose posters were pasted in violation of the order in the state.

“The (affected) candidates will suffer the punishment too,” he added.