Sequel to the signing of an executive order banning the use of primary school premises, marketplaces and parks for campaigns by political parties by the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, criticism has come from several quarters describing the imposition as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
Naija News reports that part of the critics of Umahi’s ban on the usage of public facilities for campaigns in the state is the Ebonyi state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Odii, who has described the move as an aberration to the 2022 Electoral Act as amended.
According to him, the mandatory N5 million refundable fee required by the state before granting approval to use such places for campaigning is not only unconstitutional but also undemocratic.
His reaction follows the implementation of executive order number 3 on November 1 by the state governor banning political rallies at public facilities as well as restricting okada (motorbike) operations to certain hours in the state.
Odii, who said this in the Ishielu local government area of the state during a thanksgiving service organised by Obinna Ogba of Ebonyi central zone, noted that the Electoral Act supersedes any other law because it has given parties the right to use public facilities for campaign purposes.
The Ebonyi PDP governorship candidate who noted that the party won’t allow any unconstitutional imposition, vowed to resist the executive order banning campaigns in public spaces by the state government.
He said “The electoral acts which ordinarily supersedes any other law stated it very clear that public facilities should be used during the electioneering period.
“I know that at the end of the day, we will not allow it because it’s unconstitutional. Anything that you are doing that is unconstitutional will not be allowed.”
Meanwhile, Naija News also gathered that a group identified as a coalition of civil rights and political groups in Ebonyi state have also faulted the state government’s executive order banning campaigns in public.
The group, who demanded immediate cancellation of the order by the governor, noted that the order is obnoxious, anti- democracy and in contravention of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
The governor insisted that political parties who want to use the school, market and park facilities must apply and should pay a refundable sum of N5 million to the ministry of education in the state.
The coalition made of the human rights writers association of Nigeria democratic rights ambassadors, Ebonyi’s first vanguard and a coalition of united political parties has, however, threatened to challenge the legality of the order in court if it was not set aside after 24 hours.
It also described the said executive order number 3 as an authoritarian move on public gatherings and the use of public spaces for campaigns.
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