The Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned a purported press statement by the state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) aimed at disparaging efforts of the State Ministry of Environment to control the use of outdoor advertisement and erection of billboard by politicians.
A statement signed by the State PDP Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said “I have had the misfortune of reading a poorly scripted press statement purportedly authored by the spokesperson of the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wherein he attempted to attack the press release by the Ministry of Environment stopping the indiscriminate erection of billboards.”
“The release however was illuminating as the author clearly admitted that it was their Party that was planning and in fact erecting billboards indiscriminately. The press release was to stop the ILLEGAL and INDISCRIMINATE erection and hoisting of billboards. The reply by the APC is an admittance of their intention to indiscriminately and illegally erect and hoist billboards. Nothing in the ministry’s directive as contained in the statement suggests that there is an intention to demolish or remove any billboard legally erected. May we remind the APC that every state must be administered in an orderly, not indiscriminate manner. The erection and hoisting of billboards is governed by laws (both federal and state) – the government must be allowed the ambience and latitude to operate a lawful state without let or hindrance,” the statement stressed.
The statement added thus, “Furthermore, It is largely comical that the opposition party in the state is accusing the government of high handedness and oppression. The same government that willingly approves and allows the opposition to hold events at any venue of their choice (a privilege that the ruling party at the federal level has not accorded opposition parties in recent times). The state government recently graciously granted the opposition party access to use the uyo stadium, a day before the state anniversary scheduled to hold at the same venue, whereas the government had earlier announced (weeks ahead). How else can a government be more accommodative?”
The PDP Publicity Secretary urged the state Government to take decisive steps to ensure that the state is orderly and lawfully administered.
