By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew | Owerri
The Imo State Chairman of Labour Party, Barr Calistus Ihejiagwa has cried foul over the placement of Imo Guber campaign bill boards, and posters in the state, saying that the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, (APC) is seriously intimidating the opposition parties.
He made this known to newsmen during Inter-Party Advisory Committee, IPAC Summit in the state, to advocate for free, fair and credible election.”
Ihejiagwa, lamented that the opposition parties have been deprived of a level playing ground as measures have been put up to stop them from mounting the posters of their candidates, aside from that of the governorship candidate of the ruling party, APC.
“Presently in the state, there is an unfortunate situation where the ruling party, the APC, is seriously intimidating the opposition. There is serious unfair play in the State, if you go round Imo, you can only see the poster of one candidate, which is that of the candidate of APC, Senator Hope Uzodimma.
“Through very tyrannical Polices of Imo State Signage and Advertisment Agency, IMSAA, which governor Uzodimma has deliberately brought on board to gag the opposition parties, no opposition party can put up there banners and posters, or even brand there vehicles for the election.
“The other day we put up banners in our campaign headquarter, and they came with armed thugs and demolished it, including our party flags, and carted away with some of our assets.
“IPAC Summit talks about free fair and credible election, but the free and fair is not envisaged in this election.
“Since IMSAA brought up the outrageous demand that every political party before putting up any bill board will pay fifty-four million naira, (N54000000), we went to their office to fill the forms, and they said they won’t avail it to us as they have instructions from the State Government House not to accept anything from Labour Party.
“This made it so obvious to us that the whole senerio was an intentional act to foil our winning the election, but that cannot happen because the people know who they want with or without placing posters and bill boards,” LP Chieftain said.
