The campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Edo State governorship election was on Wednesday shifted for the second time when the party was shut out of Olua Primary School, the proposed venue, allegedly by the state government.
The party explained that it had applied and received approval for the use of the school field in Uselu, before it was cancelled by the Edo State Government.
It said that it had already put in place logistics and materials needed for the rally, including canopies, chairs, a mounted stage and sound system, but received words from the authorities of the school that they had been directed to cancel the approval given for the usage of the field.
“The Egor LGA rally that was to hold at Olua Primary School on Wednesday, July 27, will now hold at Timber shed along Uselu-Lagos Road. (Governor Adams) Oshiomhole told them not to allow the PDP to use the primary school which is a public property,” the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Nehikhare, had said in a text message on Tuesday night.
It was learnt that the situation caused panic among members of the PDP, the campaign organisation of its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and the organisers, who said they had been advised to come for a refund of their money.
Nehikhare lamented that the state government had continued to deny the PDP the use of public places including that the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium for it political campaigns
But when contacted, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Kassim Afegbua, said that he was not aware of the development.
He, however, noted that the state government would not have prevented the opposition party from using the school, if it had followed that the procedures.
Afegbua said, “There are procedures for securing public places for events. If they fulfil the requirements, nobody will stop them.
“We are, however, conscious of campaigns when schools are in session. If the schools were not renovated, will they go there to campaign?”
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