Delta Government on Sunday said the Labour Party never applied officially for any venue and was denied
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, stated this on Sunday while confirming the approval of the venue for Peter Obi and the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign rally in Asaba.
Charles noted that the state government never denied the opposition party venue for its campaign, contrary to insinuations.
He said: “Labour Party never applied officially for any venue and was denied.
“A representative of the party only spoke to me (Aniagwu) via telephone call on Sunday morning and made a demand to make use of the Arcade in Asaba.
“The state government immediately within three minutes reached out to the Oshimili South Local Government Council and secured a waiver of all formalities and made the Arcade available for the Labour party to hold its presidential rally”.
Aniagwu added that to demonstrate Delta Government’s democratic credentials and tolerance for the opposition, it graciously waived the amount payable for the venue.
He urged the party to carry on its rally peacefully in line with laid down rules and regulations.
However, the Convener of the Big Tent, Professor Pat Utomi, had on Friday, alleged that the Labour party was prevented from using any of the public facilities in Delta state to host its rally on Monday.
Utomi, who convened an international press conference to call for global action against those who abuse the public trust, decried growing incivility among Nigerian governors who deny opposition politicians the opportunity to campaign in their states.
According to him, the experience of many who understand the essence of Democracy and who are participating in current elections suggests a significant level of a collapse of civility, growing fascism and polarization of the country by politicians unwilling or unable to focus on the issue.
