The candidate of the Africa Democratic Alliance (ADC) for the Anambra governorship election, Mr John Nwosu, has paid the N50 million campaign levy imposed by the Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA).
Nwosu in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, revealed that he had paid the N50 million required to enable him campaign for the governorship election and also brand his vehicles and display other insignia.
He said: “In compliance and furtherance of the rule of law, today the John Nwosu Campaign Organisation and the Africa Democratic Party (ADC) paid in full the assessed mandatory Fifty Million Naira (Fifty Million Naira), required of governorship candidates and parties to enable them display political campaign advertisements and materials in Anambra State.”
Nwosu, however, frowned at the campaign levy, noting that it confers advantage on the incumbent.
He also alleged that Governor Chukwuma Soludo has not paid the levy.
“The political campaign advertisement levy, even with the best of intentions, does not avail candidates a level playing field. It is also meant to abridge free speech by executive fiat.
“If by God’s grace I become the governor, such prohibitive laws will be amended with a view to having fair electoral practices, level playing field and political space that does not confer undue advantage to the incumbent governor or office holder.
“It is noteworthy that the governorship candidate of APGA, Prof Charles Soludo and his running mate who represent the ruling party in the state that is enforcing the law, has not deemed it fit to comply with their own laws.
“This is surely, a failure to lead by example on one hand, and a tendency to make Anambra State IGR generation punitive on the other hand.”
Nwosu said his team was welcomed by the CEO and other representatives of Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA), where he submitted the proof of payment.
He said the payment was acknowledged by the officials, and a certificate issued to him.
Nwosu is the second candidate in the forthcoming governorship election to comply with the order. The first was the candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Sir Paul Chukwuma.
