ADC kicks against Soludo's N50M signage campaign permit

By Okechukwu Onuegbu 

Some opposition political parties in Anambra State have kicked against the N50,000,000 campaign permit which the State government owned Signage and Advertising State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA) imposed on governorship candidates of all political parties.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA), Mr Tony Ujubuonu had at a press conference held on Wednesday told the media that the sum was a permit fee which Soludo, the flag bearer of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) would equally pay as it permits them to deploy their campaign materials such as posters, branded vehicles, among others.

But speaking in an interview, the State Chairman, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Patrick Obianyo, said they would not make the payment as it amounts to intimidation and act of stifling democracy and opposition.

"This is unheard of. Unfortunately, the same Soludo contested for governor in the year 2021 and never paid such amount of money. How can a political party pay N50m for ordinary T-shirt, cap and pamphlet. We are witnessing it for the first time. I wouldn't know why the governor decided to have himself engage in it. 

"It shows that the government is afraid of the opposition. He never wanted an opposition but to just win election unopposed. We never heard of it. We are saying no to such. We are capable of paying for it but it is wrong, unconstitutional and undemocratic, and we are rejecting it. It is actionable. We can go to court. We are not paying. 

"Things need to be done rightly. You can't stifle opposition. You must give others opportunities. We are telling ANSAA to withdraw it immediately. No meeting was ever called, and nobody knows how they came about it. I have drawn the attention of the IPAC leadership to it. We can't be intimidated. I'm a member but the leadership will surely issue out statement at end," he added.

Also speaking , the African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned the N50m billboard levy imposed on political parties, describing it as calculated attempt to suffocate democratic engagement and silence political opposition.

The Media Director, AAC, Mr Chimezie Uzoukwu, who disclosed this in a statement accused the state government of imposing the “artificial fee” to restrict democracy and governance for only the wealthy and individuals with questionable character in the society as it was unfairly disadvantage to smaller parties.