2027 elections: Ebonyi opposition governorship candidates kick towards N150 million billboard charge

Opposition governorship candidates in Ebonyi state have accused the state authorities of making an attempt to limit their political actions forward of the 2027 elections over a proposed N150 million charge for erecting marketing campaign billboards.

The candidates described the proposed charge as a risk to political participation, warning that its implementation may heighten rigidity and undermine democratic competitors within the state.

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Kingsley Agbor, described the event as unlucky, accusing Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration of shrinking the political area for opposition events.

Agbor mentioned the proposed charge may undermine democracy, arguing that Nigerians who fought towards army dictatorship didn’t sacrifice their lives to see the nation return to authoritarian practices below civilian rule.

“It is most unfortunate and devastating how our patriotic citizens liberated us from military rule only to see the government of the day in Ebonyi State taking us back to those dark eras,” he mentioned.

The SDP candidate cited the denial of entry to Abakaliki Sports Stadium to then presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari by the administration of former Governor Martin Elechi in 2014, arguing that the restriction didn’t forestall Buhari from profitable the 2015 presidential election.

Similarly, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Chief Splendour Oko-Eze, condemned the proposed charge, alleging that it was designed to intimidate opposition events and restrict their visibility in the course of the electioneering interval.

In an open letter issued on Wednesday, Oko-Eze questioned how opposition candidates had been anticipated to boost N150 million merely to erect marketing campaign billboards and posters, urging the federal government to permit political events to compete on the premise of their programmes and efficiency.

He additionally questioned whether or not Governor Nwifuru, his spouse and candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can be subjected to the identical charge for his or her marketing campaign billboards throughout the state.

“Opposition is not a crime anywhere in the world. It is the beauty of democracy. It acts like a watchdog to the government in power so as to make sure that the dividends of democracy get to the people,” he mentioned.

A social media critic and public affairs analyst, Chika Nwoba, additionally warned that the proposed measure may heighten political rigidity, alleging that it might be used selectively towards opposition events.

In a Facebook submit on Wednesday, he threatened a reprisal response if opposition billboards had been eliminated.

Efforts to acquire the response of the Public Relations Officer of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Sylvester Egede, had been unsuccessful.

Calls to his telephone weren’t answered, whereas messages despatched to him had not been responded to as of the time of submitting this report.