Press Statement

August 28, 2023

PDP Rejects Yahaya Bello’s Obnoxious Ban On Campaign, Signages
…Says It Will Never Subject To Rules Contrary To laws of Nigeria

The campaign decrees recently issued under the guise of guidelines for the use of campaign materials by the administration of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Yahaya Bello in Kogi State is a vexatious, undemocratic and unrealistic attempt to evade contest, constrain the democratic field and stir-fry other political parties out of visibility before the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election in Kogi State.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) summarily rejects the repugnant, pugnacious, and unlawful guidelines of Bello and urges other parties as well as democratic lovers and institutions to reject these wicked rules.

The illegal, unacceptable and impractical exclusion of certain Local Government Areas and towns, known to be the strongholds of the PDP, including, Ijumu and Ankpa Local Government Areas where the PDP candidate, Senator Dino Melaye, and his running mate, Hon Habibat Mohammed Deen, hail from respectively further exposes Yahaya Bello’s desperation in the face of soaring popularity of our candidates.

Such feeble and childish attempt by Yahaya Bello to close the campaign field against the PDP in the State further reveals that the APC has reached its wits end, having become deflated by the crushing rejection of the people ahead of the election.

Moreover, the PDP rejects the obnoxious and draconian imposition of a general payment of N5,000,000 (five million naira) for outdoor campaign materials, N2,000,000 (two million naira) for every billboard, N1,000,000 (one million naira) for every banner deployed and another N50,000,000 (fifty million naira) to be deposited as caution security. Our party insists that such devìse is a calculated attempt by the weakened APC administration in Kogi State to defraud the opposition in the State.

Under the inoperable, illegal guidelines, the PDP, which has deployed over 50 banners in each of the 21 Local Government Areas of the State, will be expected to pay N1,050,000,000 (one billion and fifty million naira) as signage fees alone. It is laughable that this figure already exceeds the entire expenditure threshold of N1b (one billion naira) prescribed for Gubernatorial election under Section 88 (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the good people of Nigeria are invited to note that the campaign decrees of APC and Governor Yahaya Bello are being rolled out two months after INEC had announced the lifting of the ban on political campaigns.

It is also instructive to note that our party has since deployed our regenerative campaign materials, making the purported guidelines retroactive, inapplicable, and inappropriate.

The terms of the guidelines by the Bello administration are, to say the least, restrictive, unimaginative, and clandestine.

Contrary to the provisions of Section 95 (2) of the Electoral Act, 2022 that no state apparatus, including the media, should be used to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election, Governor Yahaya Bello has employed the KOSSA to prescribe ridiculous, untenable, and unreasonable fees for campaign materials, including an obnoxious caution deposit.

What Bello seeks to achieve is to acquire an illegal authority to vandalise campaign materials, having realized that his Party and his handpicked candidate have neither the record nor a demonstrable performance to display or any electoral value to be canvassed on billboards and banners.

The laws of Nigeria allow candidates of all parties to campaign freely without any hindrance. In view of its illegality, incompetence as well as the conflict with the provisions of the electoral Act 2022 and its retroactive emergence, the guidelines for campaign materials issued by the Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency is recommended for thrashing in the garbage bin where it belongs.

The guidelines were conceived in bad faith and out of tune with contemporary democratic ethos. It is another anti-people design by the failed administration of Yahaya Bello. The PDP, as a lawful Party, will not subject itself to any rule that is contrary to the laws of the Federation.

Signed:

Sen. Dino Melaye Media Team

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/08/29/pdp-rejects-yahaya-bellos-ban-on-campaign-signages

Fire don land on yahaya bello and his stooge Ododo of APC already. Meanwhile, Massive crowd that welcome Senator Dino Melaye in Abu convocation in Zaria, Kaduna State ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Check out the video of the huge crowd that welcome Senator Dino Melaye to his graduation Ceremony in Abu, Zaria in Kaduna State . So much love for the distinguished Senator Dino Melaye ❤️



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4e0jimgOKw?si=ypV6NsXJLotRscB_

🔥🔥🔥Flash:
8 Bello thugs who invaded APC National Secretariat to protest the rejection of bello's replacement for members of the APC NWC have been arrested.
IGP directed to take over Security apparatus of Kogi State with immediate effect.

Diasporans for PDP Condemns Yahaya Bello’s Authoritarian Ban on Campaign Advertising

Houston, Texas, USA
August 28, 2023

Diasporans for PDP, the US-based registered non-governmental organization made up of Nigerians living abroad, has issued a solemn condemnation of Governor Yahaya Bello’s attempt to rig the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election through manipulation of the process, silencing of opposition voices, and ban of campaign advertising in Kogi State.

The organization describes the ban as an illegal, illegitimate and desperate attempt to win an election through silencing opposition voices by an incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) government that has no success stories and no tangible achievements to show to the electorate.

“What we are witnessing in Kogi State is an act of desperation. A desperate APC government wants to win an election at all cost. They are ready to engage in irresponsible and unacceptable public exhibition of autocracy in order to remain in power. As Nigerians in diaspora and lovers of democracy, we call on fellow country men and women to reject this undemocratic attempt to rig the election even before the first votes are cast,” said the Founder and National Chair of Diasporans for PDP Honourable Mrs. Victoria Pamugo.

Ahead of the November 11 governorship election, the APC-controlled Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KOSSAA) banned all opposition candidates’ campaign posters in Lokoja metropolis, Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu, Yagba West, Ankpa, Idah, Ayingba, Adavi, Okene and Okehi towns. The autocratic APC guidelines announced by Governor Yahaya Bello desperately demands the following of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition candidates:

*₦50,000,000 fee payable to the Agency for the deployment of materials before, during and after the election.

*₦5,000,000 fee payable to the Agency by political parties wishing to deploy campaign materials within the state.

*₦2,000,000 for every billboard erected by parties, candidates or supporters.

*₦1,000,000 fee payable to the Agency for every banner displayed in public places.
Reacting to this draconian political machination designed to usurp the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the campaign team of Senator Dino Melaye, the PDP governorship candidate in Kogi State, writes that:

“The campaign decrees recently issued under the guise of guidelines for the use of campaign materials by the administration of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Yahaya Bello in Kogi State is a vexatious, undemocratic and unrealistic attempt to evade contest, constrain the democratic field and stir-fry other political parties out of visibility before the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election in Kogi State.”

The press statement further states that “Under the inoperable, illegal guidelines, the PDP, which has deployed over 50 banners in each of the 21 Local Government Areas of the State, will be expected to pay ₦1,050,000,000 (one billion and fifty million naira) as signage fees alone. It is laughable that this figure already exceeds the entire expenditure threshold of ₦1b (one billion naira) prescribed for gubernatorial election under Section 88 (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022.”
“Governor Yahaya Bello and APC are suffocating democracy in that state. On the other hand, it is a pity that INEC, who has a responsibility for a free, fair and credible election in the country, is completely silent in the face of this day-light rubbery being committed against the Nigerian voters who, if this illegal decree is allowed to stand, will not have access to adequate information or voter education about the candidates wishing to become their leaders,” says Hon. Pamugo.

“What is Governor Yahaya Bello afraid of? What is APC afraid of? If they are so proud of the job they have done in Kogi State over the past number of years, why are they afraid of people getting to know the candidates wishing to become future governors of the state?” Hon. Pamugo questioned.

“The governor and his corrupt APC friends are collecting huge amounts of money from the federal treasury and tax payers every year, including security votes. Yet, they have nothing to show for their time in office. Nigerians in Kogi State are suffering. No food. No jobs. No good roads. No good schools. No constant electricity supply. No portable water supply. No security. No health care system. Yet, APC wants to remain in power through this apparent autocratic decree and illegal campaign guidelines. What new ideas do the governor and APC have to offer the people of Kogi State?” she asked.

“The international community is watching and Diasporans for PDP joins millions of Kogi residents in condemning this childish and autocratic attempt to change the outcome of the election in favour of APC. We reject it completely!” Hon. Pamugo said.

Diasporans for PDP is a United States-based and registered non-governmental organization with membership including but not limited to Austria, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

For more information or questions about the organization, please visit: diasporansforpdp.com.

Signed:

Chidi Igwe, PhD
National Publicity Secretary

https://diasporansforpdp.com/index.php/news-events/213-diasporans-for-pdp-condemns-yahaya-bello-s-authoritarian-ban-on-campaign-advertising

This one onoja and the others that were disappointed by Bello are not talking so

Also Bello is unusually silent

Dem fit gang up shock am o

APC is a goner in kogi state...
Its between PDP and sdp

Current APC National Chairman, ex governor Ganduje collecting kickbacks from Kano contractor


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9nnrCZqmw?si=4l9nyMSUt_8x_vkA


It’s Hypocritical for Tinubu to subject Nigerians to Poverty - Pastor Tunde Bakare

Tinubu is wicked in his government, Tinubu’s government is liberal and hypocritical to subject Nigerians to Extreme poverty.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPJuhdz23a0?si=E6JhKq5BGQHnTBOk

Xxxxtentacion2:
APC is a goner in kogi state...
Its between PDP and sdp

it’s 100% fact, APC and the clueless yahaya bello stooge Ododo of APC are goners. No electorates will ever votes for APC in the upcoming November 11th governorship election. Ododo is a clueless goner. November 11th governorship poll must Obey. Senator Dino Melaye is the people’s choice. Congratulations to Senator Dino Melaye in advance.