The All Progressive Congress in Enugu State has cried out over what it called “threat to democracy” as it accused the ruling People’s Democratic Party of destroying billboards and other campaign materials of candidates of the APC.
Chairman of the party in the state Dr Ben Nwoye who made the allegation while addressing newsmen at the party secretariat accused the current administration of stifling the media in despite littering the state with billboards.
Nwoye said all advertising space in Enugu metropolis has been hijacked and life size billboard of the incumbent Governor being eulogized by praise-singers even as no meaningful achievements has been recorded.
The APC Chairman disclosed that the billboard of the APC’s governorship candidate at Shoprite junction and that of the senatorial candidate for Enugu East Senatorial zone at Enugu Stadium were destroyed using the instruments of the State.
“By our last check/count, the PDP led government has over 2294 billboards across the 17 LGA areas in the state.
“Despite having this huge number of billboards, they now want to stifle the APC in Enugu State by intimidating owners of billboards ensuring we don’t get a space to advertise Mr. President and our own gubernatorial candidate, Sen. Ayogu Eze”.
“Because they have no achievements to showcase in those LGA and round the streets of Enugu, they showcase billboards, to worsen the situation, wherever the APC finds a space, and mount their billboard, no matter how remote the area is, they ensure it is dismantled, destroyed burnt to ashes and the ashes carted away”
“It becomes very important for the public to know this, the APC paid up 2 million advance payment to Rocanna limited for an available space at the airport round about, to welcome His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, the Vice President of Federal Rebublic of Nigeria and to lunch his campaign in the southeast due to the strategic position of Enugu in the Southeast.
“The government of the PDP muscled Rocanna into retaining our money, the product itself that’s the print itself which costs over 600,000 and refusing to mount the billboard which is supposed to be in the paid position for 3 months. He has the materials and he’s informing us that because of the interference of the State government, he can no longer allow us to use the billboard as a way of advertising our party and the achievements of President Muhammad Buhari to the people of south East” Barr. Nwoye said.
Nwoye who promised a rousing welcome for the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo on Friday, for the book launch of the leader of the party in the state, and immediate past Governor, Sullivan Chime, said the party will deliver President Mohammadu Buhari and all APC Candidates in the state unlike the abysmal 30 % votes being promised the President in some quarters.
When contacted, the CEO of Rocanna Limited, Robert Oji, said he was not aware that billboard paid for by candidates of the APC in the state have not been mounted.
Meanwhile, the state PDP chairman, Augustine Nnamani did not respond to calls made to him to clarify claims by the APC in the state.
