Kogi Govt Under Attack Over Alleged Demands N37.5m From PDP for Campaign Posters
- There is growing tension amidst the two main political parties in Kogi state in the build-up to the 2023 general elections
- The Kogi state government recently issued an order urging candidates of the opposition party, PDP, to pay exorbitant rates to paste posters and billboards
- Challenging this decision, the PDP Kogi-Central Senatorial candidate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, said it was a ploy to frustrate their campaign
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Kogi, Lokoja - Kogi State Government, under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello, has demanded a sum of 37.5 Million as payment for billboards and campaign posters from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
In a letter dated Monday, October 24, 2022, issued by the Kogi State Internal Revenue, senatorial candidates are to pay N6 million, while House of Representatives candidates are to pay N9 million. Similarly, those wishing to contest for the state House of Assembly must pay N12.5 million.
Source: Facebook
The letter read:
"Pursuant to the provisions of the Kogi State Signage and Advancement Law (KOSSAL), 2022, and other extant laws, we present in the table below (photo attached) the obligations of your party (PDP) to Kogi State Government on signage fee in respect of campaign posters and flyers of your candidates contesting various elective offices in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
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"Consequently, we hereby demand the payment of N37, 500, 000 within fourteen (14) days of the receipt of this letter."
In a similar development, the PDP was mandated to provide evidence of its Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) to be able to campaign in the state.
"Yahaya Bello devising ploy to frustrate my campaign" - Natasha Akpoti
Reacting to the development, the PDP candidate for Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accused Yahaya Bello of devising different ploys to frustrate her campaign following her growing popularity in the state.
She said:
"They (Yahaya Bello-led government) want to stop us from campaigning. Without tax clearance, no PDP candidate will campaign. It's a ploy to frustrate my campaign in Kogi."
Kogi governor and Akpoti-Uduaghan have recently been in the news following their political differences. The former had earlier alleged the PDP senatorial candidate was sponsoring terrorism in the state, an allegation the latter denied on several occasions.
The cerebral barrister, in a counter-attack, accused Yahaya Bello of masterminding the Owo Massacre and Kuje Prison break attacks while calling on security agencies to invite him for questioning.
2023: Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello shuts PDP office in Okene
In another similar development, the opposition political parties were being stifled by the authorities in Kogi state ahead of the 2023 general elections.
A PDP office in the Okene local government area of the state has been shut down by forces loyal to the state governor, Yahaya Bello.
Nigerians on social media have berated the governor for his actions, noting that it doesn't bode well for democracy.
Source: Legit.ng
