Ideato APP candidates to security forces: Enforce court order, arrest arsonists destroying billboards
Candidates of the All Peoples Party (APP) in Ideato Federal Constituency, Imo State, have petitioned security agencies over alleged plot to destroy their billboards by local government authorities, despite payment for the billboards and court order barring their destruction.
In the petition addressed to the Imo State Commissioner of Police; Director of State Security Services; Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, among others, APP called on the security outfits to enforce judgement of the court barring destruction of its billboards and any form of prevention from holding rallies.
A statement signed by the APP and GDF Ideato Federal Constituency Media Coordinator, Charles Okafor, urged the security agencies to stop the plot in order to avoid breakdown of law and order.
Okafor stated that the notice issued by the local government authorities to embark on destruction of the billboards at the expiration of a five-day ultimatum, is an attempt to violate the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
He described the plot as provocative and illegal, capable of causing breakdown of law and order.
“Our attention have been drawn to the illegal and provocative plans by the Chairmen of Ideato North and Ideato South LGAs, Chukwunonso Okpareke and Okwara Okechukwu (Morocco), respectively, to embark on the destruction of validly approved, paid and installed solidarity billboards for security agencies, campaign billboards for the APP party, billboards for APP state House of Assembly candidates for Ideato South and Ideato North (Ogugua Mbadiwe and Marcus Ibekwe), APP Ideato Federal Constituency Candidate, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere and APP Senatorial candidate, Hon. Rufus Omeire in the next five days.
“This is against the court’s valid orders barring them, and the billboards have been fully paid for, as required by the Imo State Signage Agency Law, which is responsible for approving billboard locations, collecting revenues, etc.
“The receipts for the billboard payments made to the signage agency, the court order prohibiting anyone from touching the billboards, and the acknowledgment copy of the petition bringing this planned criminal action to the attention of the security agencies are also attached.
“Our security agencies and our people are also informed of this notice to ensure that no criminal element engages in the illegal destruction of the billboards, which have all been legitimately paid for and installed by law, and to ensure that no one violates the order of the court in any capacity”, the statement read.
Okafor submitted that any aggression against their billboards and property will be treated as a criminal act.
He urged anyone who is not satisfied with the court’s order to return to the court to vacate the injunction, and not resort to self help and abuse of office.
“If they feel aggrieved, they can go to the court that issued the order to appeal against it.
“Our lawyers have also been put on standby to commence criminal contempt actions against anyone who destroys our legitimate billboards, and to institute a personal suit for financial damages against anyone who authorizes or engages in their destruction.
“To avoid breakdown of law and order, the security agencies with this information and tip off should do the needful by ensuring that the perpetrators led by the Chairman of Ideato North LGA, one Nonso Okparaeke and Ideato South Chairman who have already started defacing the billboards with illegal notice demanding payments which have already been made and not within their right and also violating the order of court should be apprehended and prosecuted to aviod breakdown of law and order which the planned illegal action can cause.
“The Electoral Law forbids this kind of behaviour, which cannot make anyone popular. The signage law also forbids this, and the court has also restrained these people. Any act of aggression against our property will be treated as a purely criminal action, involving those who act outside the law, with its attendant consequences”, he stated.
The coordinator made available copies of receipts believed to be payments to the Imo State Signage Agency.
