Billboards war rages ahead of Anambra guber poll

From Emma Elekwa, Awka

Not only that billboards and posters introduce various political parties to the electorate, the parties display their manifestos and other agenda to the voters through the instruments of billboards, posters and fliers.

Apart from the advertorials and jingles in both the electronics and print media, the alternative platform always explored by political parties in lunching themselves to the public ahead of any election are the billboards, banners, posters and handbills.

Little wonder the huge amount of money invested by various political parties in the construction of these advertorial platforms, for the simple reason of displaying their manifestoes targeted at convincing the electorates to vote for them.

The Anambra State government Signage and Advertisement Agency had in January this year issued a statement announcing that governorship aspirants in the state would pay the sum of N9million each before they could be allowed to paste their posters in any part of the state.

The agency, through its Managing Director, Mr. Jude Emecheta, had warned that any aspirant who would contravene the rule would be sued accordingly, arguing that the law did

Yes I have heard a lot of my colleagues in the Buhari project complain that the administration they worked for its emergence have not considered them for any appointment. Some also complained that he was too quick to have forgotten those he started the journey with, even if there was not permit indiscriminate pasting of posters.

It explained that the money was to clean up the mess generated by such posters after the elections, insisting that aspirants must pay before their posters could be allowed to be circulated.

“The campaign is to let politicians know that they would not be allowed to paste election posters on public buildings, electric poles, bridges, road dividers, roundabouts and others.

“It’s a quasi-criminal offence for any person not to pay government revenue. Any politician, who fails to pay their bills before making campaign posters public, would have the agency to contend with in the court of law.

“So we are asking politicians; don’t say Willie Obiano is pursuing you or APGA is chasing you around. Do the needful to avoid prosecution,” he stated.

According to him, politicians who wished to put up billboards, must go through registered advertising agencies domiciled in the state, noting that no poster or election material of the incumbent governor would be posted without payment.

Expectedly, this pronouncement by the government which was published by virtually all the national and local dailies, threw up heated arguments as almost all the opposition parties condemned it in its entirety.

While some described it as another ploy by the ruling party to cow the opposition, others said they would challenge the move at the court of law.

A governorship aspirant who spoke on condition of anonymity, had described it as unconscionable, vowing to challenge it at the appropriate time.

“Instead of them to say if you challenge Obiano in that election, you pay N9m, they are talking this rubbish. All aspirants must be given unfettered opportunity in the contest; nobody will be allowed to set unconscionable conditions in the race.

“Anambra state government is not INEC that sets guidelines in election. The constitution is the supreme law of the land and nobody can change it with domestic and obnoxious laws” the aspirant stated.

This controversial but stringent condition, no doubt, adversely affected most of the parties contesting the election as they were unable to display their billboards and posters in any part of the state due to the cost implications.

Even for those who have the financial muscle to settle the bill conditions, their billboards, posters and banners are scarcely seen along the streets, especially when compared with those of the ruling party in the state.

Worse still is the current accusations and counter accusations by the major political parties in the race of defacing and destroying their expensive billboards as well as removal of their posters across the state.

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) was the first to raise concerns over the defacing of its billboards, accusing the ruling All progressives Grand alliance (APGA) for the act.

The party, through the Tony Nwoye Campaign Organization Committee Chairman, Sir Azuka Okwuosa, expressed sadness over what it described as the wanton destruction of its candidate’s billboards and posters across the state.

Although it called on it supporters not to retaliate, the party condemned the act, saying it would not allow such move to distract it from working towards clinching power from the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

‘Our candidate, Tony Nwoye is a lover of peace. We know what to do. We will not be distracted. We are 100% focused.

“We would not leave any stone unturned in our task to ensure that Hon. Tony Nwoye emerged as the next governor of Anambra State. It is high time the electorate allow a youth to steer the ship of the state to the path of greatness,” he said.

On its part, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), accused supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) of destroying its billboards and posters.

Speaking through the secretary of the campaign organization, Premious Odilli, the party said it has uncovered plots by the APC to mobilise thugs to start destroying the posters and bill boards under the guise of campaigning for Change in the State.

It warned that any attempt to destroy the APGA campaign posters would be resisted.

“Last week Tuesday, we woke up and found out that our posters placed in the damage Dangote trucks and bill board in front of Federal Road Safety Corp, State Headquarter, of the Onitsha- Enugu expressway were destroyed by APC supporters.

“The idea is for them to go out and destroy our posters under the guise of protest.

So, we are using this opportunity to alert security agents to watch out for these people, because we are ready for a peaceful election. They intend to coerce us into violence, but we will not. Anambra will be calm for this election because we have no opposition.

“APC leaders should be warned; they must stop destroying our posters for the interest of peace. They should know that nobody has monopoly of violence, but we will continue to remain calm because victory is sure APGA.

Meanwhile, the police in the state had frowned at the defacing and destruction of posters and billboards of political parties by opponents, warning perpetrators to desist from such acts as they were capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

The Commissioner of Police, Garba Umar, who gave the warning during a highpowered interagency security meeting, involving representatives of the various political parties in the election, said political parties would sign a peace accord targeted at ensuring a peaceful atmosphere during and after the elections.

He described the pact as a memorandum of understanding which all the political parties and their standard bearers must adhere strictly to.

“The police condemn in strong terms the clashes between political parties on campaign tour at the same venue. Such act is unacceptable and will no long be condoned in the state.

“Political parties should notify the police of its campain visit to a particular place beforehand to avoid rancour,” he stated.