Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to pay a fine of N5 million for violating some provisions of the state’s order on political campaigns.
The Commissioner for Information in the state, Uchenna Orji, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The governor, a member of the APC, had, in November, signed Executive Order III into law, which prohibits political parties from using public places for political activities without seeking and obtaining clearance from the state government.
Public places referred to in the order are schools, parks, and markets, among others.
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The order also prohibits political parties from pasting campaign posters on “critical infrastructures” in the state without obtaining clearance from the government.
Mr Orji, a lawyer, said the governor was “saddened” by the continued pasting of campaign posters by some political parties on electric poles, meridians, concrete roads and flyovers in violation of the order.
Apart from the APC, the commissioner said the Peoples Democratic Party, the Labour Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance also violated the order.
“When the APC flagged off its presidential and governorship campaigns in the state, it littered the infrastructures with posters and that made other political parties to follow suit.
“Most of the critical infrastructures have been littered with campaign posters against the laws of the state government and the Executive Order regarding the pasting of posters and billboards,” he said.
Mr Umahi, the information commissioner added, has forgiven other political parties and then punished the APC to set an example and serve as a deterrent to others.
He directed other political parties to remove their posters on “critical infrastructures” in the state before 31 December.
“The party (APC) is thus fined N5 million for contravening the law and the Executive Order. The APC must pay the money to the state’s internally generated revenue account and obtain a receipt.
