By KENNETH ONYEKWERE, ABAKALIKI
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ebonyi state chapter, has declared that the party paid a whopping sum of ₦7million naira to access the PA Ngele Oruta Township stadium for Its Presidential campaign Rally held on Thursday.
This followed claims by the Ebonyi state government that the stadium facility was granted free of charge to the opposition political party.
Former first civilian governor of the state, Dr Sam Egwu made the shocking revelation while speaking during the Atiku/Okowa PDP Presidential campaign Rally in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital.
The Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Media and Publicity, Mr Chooks Oko, had in a press statement stated that the state government has given out the state stadium free of charge.
His statement read in part” His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Nweze Umahi has granted the People’s Democratic Party free use of the State Stadium facility for its Presidential Campaign rally”.
He said, PDP in a letter addressed to the Governor, titled: “Notice of Presidential Rally of the People’s Democratic Party in Ebonyi State”, dated 20th January 2023, had requested the use of the Pa Ngele Oruta Township stadium, accepting to pay the prescribed fees in line with the operative Executive Order in the State.
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But the statement further stated that Umahi in a response waived the fees and directed the Acting Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue not to collect any fee from the Party.
According to the statement, the governor also directed the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development to grant the Party unhindered access to the facility.
To strengthen his directive, Umahi further appealed to his Party, the All Progressives Congress(APC), to move its campaign scheduled to hold in the facility on January 26, 2023, the same day to another venue in order to make space for the PDP.
He also notified the State Commissioner of Police of the event, directing, as the Chief Security Officer of the State, that adequate security be made available to the Party.
Recall that in line with the Governor’s all-inclusive stance, he had earlier approved the facility for the Labour Party’s Presidential Rally which is yet to be held in the State.
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