Imo, PDP bicker over destruction of Jonathan’s billboards

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has accused Governor Rochas Okorocha and security agencies of destroying the campaign billboards of President Goodluck Jonathan mounted in some strategic areas in the state.

   At a briefing held yesterday at the PDP secretariat in Owerri, the State Chairman of the party, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, said the party was saddened by the development. 

   Anyaehie also warned of an alleged impending perpetration of arson and mayhem by the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging the Imo electorate to take note.

   But in a swift reaction, the Imo State governor, through his Senior Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said the accusation was false, asking the PDP not to cry fowl. 

   On the alleged non-coverage of PDP activities and jingle usage by the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Anyaehie called for intervention of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to apply appropriate sanction against the IBC.

   He said: “The authorities of the NBC are urged to intervene in this unprofessional conduct of the IBC, which has become the personal mouthpiece of the Imo State governor.

 “As a political party, we know that IBC does not accept public announcements from our party or air news of activities of other political parties apart from the APC. This is contrary to NBC regulations and indeed the practice of Federal Government-owned electronic media outfits like the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).”

   On the issuance of voter’s cards, the Imo PDP chairman drew the attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the alleged inflation of the voters register in wards around Ideato South Local Government, where the state governor hails from.

   Onwuemeodo in his reaction, said: “It is not true that IBC has been marginalizing other candidates and political parties. This is blackmail and blackmail doesn’t win elections. Let them go to the field and campaign. We are waiting for them. They are good at telling lies. PDP and APGA have no candidates because they are still in court.”