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The Government of Anambra State through its Signage and Advertisement Agency has destroyed the campaign billboard of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
According to The Punch, Obi’s billboard located at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Temporary Site Flyover was dismantled on Saturday, January 14, 2023.
The billboard of Chief Victor Umeh, the LP party’s candidate for the Anambra Central Senatorial District was also brought down.
The Anambra state government said it had in August 2022, political candidates to obtain campaign permits and pay campaign fees before mounting their adverts on billboards.
Presidential candidates were asked to pay N10m, senatorial candidates to pay N7m, House of Representatives candidates to pay N5m, and state House of Assembly candidates to pay N1m as campaign fees.
Speaking on the dismantling of Obi’s billboards on Sunday, January 15, 2023, the Managing Director of ANSAA, Mr Tony Ujubuonu said the pulling down of the billboards was not political as insinuated.
He maintained that the affected candidates did not comply with the laid down procedures.
“In August and October 2022, ANSAA sent out a letter to all the political parties in Anambra to obtain political campaign permits which would enable them to enjoy campaigns around the state and have access to rent available government outdoor media assets and public spaces.
“Before commencing enforcement in November 2022, ANSAA ran a one-week sensitisation paid adverts in the media in case someone missed the earlier formally communicated information,” Ujubuonu said.
Reacting, the state chairman of the Labour Party, Mr Ugochukwu Emmanuel said the LP’s application for streetlight poles adverts was rejected, adding that the state government allowed other candidates to use the poles for their political campaigns.
“We paid in obedience to a government order. Our application to hoist mini billboards on the streetlight poles along the expressway was rejected but it is evident that the same billboards of other candidates of other parties are hoisted on the same poles,” he said.
However, the state government has not issued any statement in reaction to the allegation against it.