Owan-Enoh accuses PDP, Ayade of destroying his campaign billboards
Ayade denies allegation, says Owan-Eboh not a strong contender
By Ike Uchechukwu
CALABAR —The All Progressive Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Cross River State, Senator John Owan-Enoh, has accused supporters of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state and those of Governor, Ben Ayade of destroying his campaign billboards mounted at strategic locations in the state.
Owan-Enoh, who made the allegation, yesterday, in Calabar, called for peace and tolerance among political stakeholders in the state to ensure free, fair and credible elections in February.
Owan-Enoh also threatened to stage a protest march in the state if billboards carrying his image are pulled down again.
He said: “The state government cannot stand competition and that is why they are doing everything possible to stifle opposition. The administration tries to posture in Abuja as being friendly to President Muhammadu Buhari but back at home, it tries to stifle opposition and do things that are unspeakable.
“A lot of people have been asking me why I have no billboards in Calabar particularly, but the administration cannot stand seeing my billboards. When I erected my billboards, the government pulled them down claiming I have not paid a mandatory fee of N2 million for governorship candidates which I actually paid.
You are not a strong contender —Ayade
Meanwhile, Senior Special Assistant/Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ayade, Mr. Christian Ita denied the allegations, saying that the governor has no business with pulling down of a billboard belonging to opposition party.
Ita said: “As far as I am concerned, Owan-Enoh is not a contender to us, so we have no reason to pull down his billboards. I mean his campaign has refused to kick off for a number of reasons, one of which is the fact that APC is tattered in Cross River State.
“That cannot be in the character of my boss, instead it is the APC candidate who is noted for violence. Where ever he goes, he is trailed by violence. So is not in our character, it is he who promotes violence. It is him who moves with thugs.”
Owan-Enoh however claimed: “I had a big billboard, and because the governor could not stand seeing it, he asked that it be pulled down. Apart from the N2 million charge on billboards for governorship candidates, there was another surcharge of N5 million and all these are tactics against opposition because they can’t stand the sight of their opponents.”
Owan-Enoh said the intimidation of any party would create an atmosphere of persecution and indicate intolerance of opposition views in the state.
He said that the 2019 general election would be different because of the dynamics of the country and the change brought about by the APC-led government at the center.
Owan-Enoh, who currently represents Cross River Central senatorial district in the National Assembly, said the 2019 elections would be keenly contested.
He said: “2019 election is about Cross River and not about the North, South or Central. It is about who has a blue print and who can be trusted with the resources of the state, somebody who can change the narrative of the people of the state.”