…as Chidoka urges Gov Soludo to call his men to order and as a matter of urgency restore the billboards, insisting that the action is unacceptable
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA led government in Anambra State has removed the campaign billboards belonging to a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the forthcoming general election.
The wide-angle campaign billboards which were erected along the Tarzan axis of the Onitsha – Enugu Expressway had pictures of the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Hon. Obinna Chidoka, member representing Idemili North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Chidoka is seeking re-election into the green chamber.
The five star lawmaker who erected the billboards in solidarity with the PDP presidential candidate in December 2022, expressed sadness over the state government’s action.
Speaking at Tarzan junction when he visited the scene Tuesday evening, Chidoka called on the governor of Anambra state, Professor Chukwuma Soludo to call his men to order and as a matter of urgency restore the billboards, insisting that the action is unacceptable.
“As you can see, this was where I had my billboards. The PDP candidates – Myself, our presidential and vice presidential candidates Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa pictures were in the billboards. But as you can see, they have been removed and replaced with that of APGA.”
“It is not right, it is unacceptable, Anambra belongs to all of us, whether you are APGA, PDP or any other party”
The lawmaker while calling for calm, told his followers to maintain calm, insisting that as a lawmaker, he will not break the law or take the law into his own hands.
“I do not want violence, I am not a man of violence. I want peaceful, free and fair election in this state, but as you can see the way APGA government is going, violence is brewing. If I was not here to calm my supporters down, they would have probably climbed up their to pull down the APGA billboards which may eventually lead to a clash between them and the government, leading to a breakdown of law and order.
“I’m however calling on the state government to restore my billboards because I paid for them, they were not given to me free. It is unacceptable,” Chidoka insisted.”
The Daily Vendor correspondent who visited the scene yesterday noted that one APGA banner which reads ‘APGA all the way’ had just been mounted on the Onitsha – Enugu side of the road, while a second banner which reads ‘Anambra is APGA land’ was still being installed on the Awka – Onitsha side of the expressway.
