The campaign billboard of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has been dismantled in Anambra
The billboard was pulled down alongside that of the LP’s Anambra Central senatorial candidate, Chief Victor Umeh by the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA)
The advert agency revealed why the billboards were pulled down even as Umeh threatened legal action
The affected billboard, according to Bellnewsonline.com, was a massive one located at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Temporary Site Flyover.
The Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency dismantled the campaign billboard of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi. Photo credits: @PeterObi, @CCSoludo Source: Twitter
Bellnewsonline.com gathers that the billboard was pulled down on Saturday, January 14, alongside that of the party’s candidate for the Anambra Central Senatorial District in the February elections, Chief Victor Umeh.
Recall that the Anambra state government had in August 2022 announced the fees expected to be paid by candidates who wish to display their billboards in the state.
Presidential candidates were to pay N10 million while senatorial candidates were to pay N7 million.
Also, the House of Representatives candidates were to pay N5 million and state House of Assembly candidates were to pay N1 million before mounting any billboard or poster.
Why Peter Obi, Victor Umeh’s campaign billboards were pulled down, ANSAA reveals
Speaking on the development on Sunday, January 15, the managing director of ANSAA, Tony Ujubuonu, clarified that the pulling down of the billboards had no political reasons.
According to him, the affected candidates did not comply with the laid down procedures.
Ujubuonu also explained that the development had nothing to do with the state governor, Charles Soludo.
He said the exercise was carried out after several efforts, phone calls and entreaties to the affected candidates for them to pay for the advert, which proved abortive
The ANSAA boss said many political parties and their candidates paid the fees for the mounting of billboards but the Labour Party candidates refused.
“But sadly, no payment was made by the Labour party candidates both at the national and state House of Assembly levels. Several phone calls and entreaties were made to them through their media managers but they ignored these.
“They have had several campaigns in the state without permits and have their campaign materials everywhere without permits. It’s only fair that all politicians should be treated equally.
“Equally, any political party candidate affected knows that either they are yet to pay or are yet to complete their payments of the political campaign permit,” he said.
It was gathered that some stakeholders and indigenes of Anambra alleged that the action had a political undertone, claiming the billboards were dismantled on the orders of Governor Soludo.
Victor Umeh reacts
Reacting, Victor Umeh, the party’s candidate for the Anambra Central Senatorial District, described the development as undemocratic and unconscionable.
He also threatened legal action against the state government if the billboards were not restored any time soon.
According to Umeh, the state government has no power in any extant law to regulate electoral processes.
He said it was the sole responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission to do so.
Umeh also said he had paid about N4 million to his advertising agencies for the billboards which had also paid to the ANSAA the required fees for outdoor adverts.
“No other state does that except Soludo’s state. Who did Soludo pay campaign fees to in 2021 when he contested for governorship? We are considering legal action,” he said.