*Insists Labour Party refused to play by the rules on billboards’ placement
*To present formal request for Kanu’s release to FG
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, yesterday ramped up his attack on the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, describing the party’s complaints of removal of campaign billboards around the state as ‘ranting’ of some people.
The Anambra governor who was speaking on Channels Television, maintained that even as governor, Obi failed to allow the the same LP, the platform on which he is now a presidential standard bearer, access to use public facilities.
Soludo stated that anybody who refuses to play by the rules of exhibition of campaign posters, including Obi’s party, the LP, will be dealt with according to the law.
Obi’s supporters had recently accused Soludo, who has not hidden his resolve not to support his predecessor’s political ambition, of pulling down campaign billboards erected by the LP presidential candidate.
The governor also alluded to his piece in November 2022 where he said though Obi might win in Anambra, he won’t win the overall presidential election, urging the LP candidate to go to the field to contest like his opponents.
“It does not worth my time to comment on the rantings of some people about their billboards or no billboards and so on. I don’t want to be drawn into that. I think that has been exhaustively dealt with by the government and the Anambra state signage agency that regulates this.
“It is on record and everybody knows that I have twice granted the presidential candidate of the Labour Party to use government properties, government house, for his campaign without charging him a penny.
“Nobody has done that. He did not do that when he was in government. He did not even allow Labour Party, where he is now, to freely campaign in Anambra. He denied them even the venue that they paid for.
“But I have allowed him to use the government house twice free of charge. They were in Onitsha to go and campaign. They have their billboards all over the place but the point is when you fail to play by the rule, you put up billboards and you don’t pay for the relevant things. Of course, the signage agency will come after you,” he stated.
Soludo insisted that despite his complaints, Obi’s campaign materials still litter the state, especially in areas where they have met the conditions set by the relevant laws.
“Even when they said their billboards were pulled down, you go all over the state, the billboards are lining up everywhere, where they have met the terms and conditions for that.
“They want some kind of entitlement. We can’t continue to give them everything for free. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress ( APC) and others are not complaining. Why only them?,” the governor queried.
The Anambra governor, who is now the new national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), explained that he has given Obi all the necessary support to campaign freely without let or hindrance.
On the the matter of the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Soludo said he would present a formal request to the federal government soon.
The Anambra governor maintained that Kanu’s release would be critical to peace in the south-east, promising to forward an official letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), in a few days.
“Our major focus is delivering on our plans of security, not just in Anambra, but the entire south-east and that is why we are calling for the immediate release of Kanu because he has to be part of the conversation.
“The AGF will receive a formal letter of our request for the release of Kanu in a few days time. It’s about the life and prosperity of the entire South-East. We want peace and transformation to return and we need all the stakeholders around the table,” he opined.
Soludo also evaded questions on whether he was interested in contesting for the presidency in the future. “The possibility of being president is in the hands of God and only Him knows who will be alive to become whatever,” he responded.
