The Imo state government has slammed the sum of N54 million on opposition political parties participating in the November 11 governorship election as advertising and signage displays for governorship campaigns.
This is as the the governorship candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Dr. Kachi Nwoga has described the decision as obscene, atrocious and sinful.
TheHintsNews reports that the state government through Imo Signage and Advertisement Agency (IMSAA) had in a letter dated June 7, 2023 and signed by its General Manager, Hon. Chibuzor Umunnakwe, notified all the political parties participating in the forthcoming governorship election in the state to apply for permit before erecting any campaign billboards.
Though, the letter was dated June 7th, the agency maintained that the rates, terms and conditions came into effect on April 1, 2023 for all types of political advertising, out-of-home display of campaign materials and ancillary items for gubernatorial campaigns in the state.
The letter, titled, ‘Schedule of rates and terms for political advertising and ancillary signage displays in Imo State for gubernatorial campaigns’, revealed that the political parties who intend to erect billboards or engage in any sort of campaign must apply to the agency.
The letter reads: “Political candidates intent on deploying outdoor/public displays must obtain, fill and submit the IMSAA application for outdoor political campaign advertisement form.
“A list of proposed billboard sites, including the ones for rental should be indicated in the form or as a separate attached document. If the sites are going to be built by the candidate or supporting parties, these would be treated as temporary structures.
“On approval of the form content, candidates will make the appropriate fee payments as indicated below. IMSAA finds all processes satisfactory, candidates will get a compliance confirmation letter from the agency.”
Umunnakwe said application form fee is pegged at N100,000; while “gubernatorial Campaign Permit fee N54,000,000.”
He added that on approval of campaign, Site inspection fee attracts N50,000, adding that this fee was in respect of billboards built by the candidate but does not affect those rented, while approval fee is pegged at N150, 000.
However, in another notice sent to opposition political parties, the agency said the permit was not transferable, while it expires 30 days after election.
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP) has decried that opposition parties are not allowed to breathe in the state.
Nwoga, who spoke during a media interaction with newsmen on Monday in Abuja also alleged that state officials are confiscating branded campaign vehicles of opposition political parties in the state for not having a gubernatorial advert permit.
His words: “The opposition is not allowed to breathe. I cannot go and put up a billboard today because by the time they are telling me to pay you N54 million naira to put up a billboard. It means I cannot put up a billboard.
“I don’t know any state anywhere, even if you need to convert it to dollars, nobody can charge this kind of money. It’s obscene, It’s atrocious, It’s sinful. That’s what they’re asking the opposition to pay.
“And I intend to ask, since the entire state up and down is filled with the billboard of one particular person, I really want to know how much the state has made from that one person, if this is how much you have to pay for billboards.”