Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Saturday ordered the shifting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign to another venue to allow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) use the State Stadium for the presidential campaign, as he granted waiver to the PPD not to pay any fee for the use of the stadium for its campaign for the 2023 general elections, scheduled to hold in Abakaliki on January 26.
The media assistant to the Governor, Chooks Okoh, in a statement, in Abakaliki on Saturday night, declared: “the PDP in a letter addressed to the Governor, titled: “Notice of Presidential Rally of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State” dated 20th Jan. 2023, had requested the use of Pa Ngele Oruta Township stadium.
“It accepted to pay the prescribed fees in line with the operative Executive Order in the state.
“The governor, in his response, waived the fees and directed the Acting Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue not to collect any fee from the party.
“He also directed the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development to grant the party unhindered access to the facility.
“Umahi, however appealed to his party, the All Progressives Congress, to move its campaign scheduled to hold in the facility same day to another venue in order to make space for PDP.
“He also notified the State Commissioner of Police of the event, directing that as the Chief Security Officer of the State, adequate security should be provided to the party.”
The governor had earlier approved the facility for the Labour Party’s Presidential Rally which is yet to be held in the state.