LP, Umeh React To Removal Of Peter Obi Campaign Billboards

The Labour Party (LP) had confirmed the removal of the campaign billboards of the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and that of the party’s senatorial candidate for Anambra Central, Senator Victor Umeh, by the Anambra State Government.

Naija News earlier reported that the Anambra Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSA) pulled down the billboards mounted on the pedestrian flyover along the popular UNIZIK junction in Awka, the state capital.

According to the Managing Director ANSAA, Tony Ujubuonu, one of the LP billboards was removed on Saturday over alleged debt, adding that the removal has nothing to do with Governor Charles Soludo.

Confirming the development, an official of LP, who spoke with Vanguard on gue the condition of anonymity, said the removal wall was politically motivated, adding that the advert on the billboards was fully paid for.

He said:  “The billboard at UNIZIK Temporary Site Junction was removed on the orders of Soludo. The advert, which was placed by an APCON registered advertising agency, was fully paid for.

We are aware that Governor Soludo has sworn that he does not want Labour Party advert on strategic places and therefore directed ANSAA to refund the money paid for the advert.

“He has also ordered the removal of the Labour Party advert at the Afor Nnobi Gantry. The advert has been there since October, 2022 and was paid for five months.”

“Soludo said that he does not want Labour Party advert at such strategic places and ordered the Signage Agency to refund the money it received for the advert. He ordered the removal all OBIdient billboards across the state. It’s a direct instruction from him in an APGA meeting  Those around asked him not do do that, but he insisted that it must be done.”

Also reacting on the development, the LP candidate for Anambra Central, Victor Umeh, described the action as undemocratic and unconscionable.

He said the state government had no power in any extant law to regulate electoral processes, arguing that it is the sole responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Umeh, therefore, threatened to take legal action against the state government if the billboards were not  restored any time soon.

He said: ”There is nothing like campaign fees under the electoral law. No state government has a right to impose any fee on any candidate before he could campaign. There is no such law in Nigeria and no such law either in Anambra State passed by the State House of  Assembly. 

“If Soludo makes an executive order of humongous fees of N10m, N7m, etc before one could campaign in the state, that’s against democracy. You can’t prevent somebody from campaigning with arbitrary fees.”

Umeh said he had  paid about N4m  to his  advertising agencies for billboards who accordingly had paid to the ANSAA the required fees for outdoor adverts.

He added, “It is INEC that sets rules for campaigns not state governments.  State government doesn’t conduct elections. You can’t tax a candidate of a political party to pay a state government before he can campaign. No other state does that except Soludo’s state.  Who did Soludo pay campaign fees to in 2021 when he contested for governorship. 

“I have told the advertising agent to write to the state government to restore the billboard because it was a contract signed with them and I paid them fuly and they paid ANSAA.

“Why should  Peter Obi  pay N10m  to Soludo before he could campaign in Anambra State and Umeh to pay N7m?

“There should be nothing on the way of any candidate to campaign to look for votes under the Electoral Law.  What Soludo is  doing is illegal. No government has a right to tax any candidate to pay any money before he can campaign.  What he is saying  is that if you can’t pay N10m or N7m you can’t campaign after being nominated by your party to contest election for them.  

“It’s illegal to tax any candidate by the state government before the candidate begins to campaign. Matters about campaign are regulated by the  Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Government has no hands in  regulating political parties campaigns. No government has a right to place tax on any candidate for campaigning. Campaign is an open and free thing to solicit for vote. Government cannot  say that before you campaign for an office you have been propery and I paid them fully and they paid ANSAA.

“Why should  Peter Obi  pay N10m  to Soludo before he could campaign in Anambra State and Umeh to pay N7m?

“There should be nothing on the way of any candidate to campaign to look for votes under the Electoral Law.  What Soludo is  doing is illegal. No government has a right to tax any candidate to pay any money before he can campaign.  What he is saying  is that if you can’t pay N10m or N7m you can’t campaign after being nominated by your party to contest election for them.  

“It’s illegal to tax any candidate by the state government before the candidate begins to campaign. Matters about campaign are regulated by the  Independent National Electoral Commission.  Government has no hands in  regulating political parties’campaigns. No government has a right to place tax on any candidate for campaigning.

“Campaign is an open and free thing to solicit for vote. Government cannot  say that before you campaign for an office you have been properly documented by INEC, you have to pay fees.”