The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has threatened a lawsuit against Anambra Government over its policy that governorship candidates for the November 8 election should pay N50 million campaign permit fee.
Recall that the Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency, ANSAA, had on Wednesday stated that governorship candidates for the November 8 election must pay N50 million campaign permit fee.
According to the agency, the advertisement permit would enable the candidates and their political parties to deploy campaign materials such as posters, branded vehicles, among others.
Media Talk Africa reports that Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has cleared 16 contestants including the incumbent Governor, Chukwuma Soludo for the election.
However, ADC in the state, argued said that the policy was targeted to weaken the opposition political parties.
The state chairman of ADC, Patrick Obianyo, who disclosed he party’s unhappiness on the directive told newsmen on Thursday in Awka that they would challenge the action in court.
”If the state government refused to withdraw the plan, ADC would institute a legal action against it. ADC governorship candidate will not make the payment as it amounts to intimidation and act of stifling democracy and the oppositions.
“This is unheard of and unfortunately, a policy coming from the same Soludo who contested for governor in the year 2021 and never paid such money. How can a political party pay N50 million for ordinary T-shirt, cap and pamphlet?
“We are witnessing this for the first time in Anambra and one wouldn’t know why the governor decided to have himself associated with such policy.
“This is an indication that Gov. Soludo is afraid of the oppositions. We never heard of it. We are saying no to such. We are capable of paying, but it is wrong, unconstitutional and undemocratic, and we are rejecting it,” he said.
