Anambra guber: Gov Obiano allegedly orders destruction of Ubah’s billboards

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Ahead of the governorship election slated for November 6 in Anambra, there is tension in the state as youths accused agents of the state government of acting on the instructions of Governor Willie Obiajo to destroy billboards of the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.

To this end, Anambra youths reportedly rose in anger accusing Governor Obiano of being behind the destruction of the billboards, noting that this has shown that the governor and his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) are already jittery over Ubah’s towering achievements.

According to a statement issued yesterday by Kamen Chuks Ogbonna, who is the Head of Media and Strategic Communications to Senator Ubah, early Sunday morning, the Governor ordered thugs accompanied by officials of Anambra Signage agency (ANSAA) to destroy billboards erected by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in several parts of the State.

“This is a very worrisome development, coming on the heels of security challenges being faced by the state, whereby unknown bandits are killing security personnels at checkpoints and carting away their arms, which are clear signs of an emperor”, the statement said.

The statement said twelve billboards which have been fully paid for, and erected in several locations across the state have been pulled down, on the orders of the state Government, saying it is an indication that the governor has become jittery, having failed in its duty and social contract to Anambra people.

“They include 3 Faces at old Nkpor Junction, 1 Face at Savoil, Zik’s Round About, Onitsha, 2 Faces at Aroma, opposite Library, 2 Faces at Police headquarters Awka, 2 Faces at Immigration junction, Awka, and 2 Faces at Uga junction, Pedestrian cross.

“It is instructive to note that before embarking on the mounting of those billboards , we approached the Managing Director of Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA), Chief Jude Emecheta, who personally gave us the breakdown of the bills to be paid and all these monies were fully paid and receipts issued.

“The question then becomes, why is Gov Obiano afraid of the Distinguished Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, to the extent that he always singles him out for unprovoked attacks ?

“One may recall that a similar incident transpired when the Senator moved to carry out road interventions in his senatorial district, in order to ease the free flow of movements during the yuletide period. It took the intervention of the necessary federal government agencies as well as good spirited youths who came out and stood guard, as the contractors worked, for the state government actors to beat a hasty retreat.

“Let it be on record that the state government by this act is introducing bitter politics into Anambra State, and all well meaning Stakeholders of the state must rise up and take a stand against this.

“Let it also be sounded as a note of warning that we may not be able to stop our teeming supporters from tearing down any signposts erected in place of the ones that we paid for, which are now being  pulled down .The State Government should  be held fully responsible for any breakdown of law and order that this irresponsible act triggers in the State.