The Managing Director of Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA), Chief Jude Emecheta, on Monday said that politicians aspiring for this year’s governorship election in the state would pay the sum of N9 million each to the State Government’s coffers before they can be allowed to paste any campaign posters in the state or risk prosecution.

He made the declaration at a press conference in Awka, explaining that each individual aspirant is expected to pay N3m for posters in each of the three senatorial zones, making it N9m per person.

He stated: “The law did not permit pasting posters in every place without authorisation and the agency need money to clean up the mess generated by these posters after the elections.

“The association is interested in not only the outdoor adverts but also in ensuring that such election posters and other campaign materials did not deface strategic locations in the state.”

Emecheta further said that a public enlightenment campaign on the modalities for putting up election posters would commence from February this year create awareness for politicians to be aware that they are not allowed to paste election posters on such places as public buildings, electric poles, bridges, road dividers, roundabouts and others.

According to the ANSAA boss, the agency would direct politicians and their supporters on where to paste election materials in the state.

He noted that politicians who wished to put up billboards must go through registered advertising agencies domiciled in the state saying that no poster or election material of the incumbent governor would be pasted without payment too.

Reacting to the news, the Chairman of Progressive People’s Alliance Party (PPA) in the state, Chief Mathias Ameke, said that the move is a sign that the government will use its machinery to suppress other contenders in the forthcoming polls.

He dismissed the claim that the incumbent Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, who is seeking re-election, “will also pay such outrageous amount”, adding that the public has been put on notice that the State Government doesn’t want healthy competition in the forthcoming guber election.

Ameke said that such law will not fly because it is a constitutional matter which only the National Assembly can dictate and not even the state.

He said the beauty of democracy is in having a say and allowing the other a chance.

He called for a fair playing ground for politics in the state so that the people can make their impressions.

“Fixing of outrageous fees for party candidates publicity is a sign of government resentment for popular participation in the coming poll and it is unacceptable and reprehensible too. Government insistence on this wicked regulation is a recipe for people’s resistance which PPA would be a part of.

“Autocratic leadership is no more in vogue and there is no need to use state resources to fight people instead of making their lives better,” he said.