Campaign venue: Prof. Utomi lied – Okowa

Delta State Government  Tuesday chided a Labour Party chieftain, Professor Pat Utomi, over what it called  his false and misleading claims that the government denied the party venue for its presidential campaign in the state.

At a news conference in Asaba,  Commissioner for Information Charles Aniagwu said Utomi, a Professor of many years, should not resort to telling lies and blackmail to curry sympathy for his party.

He said  there was no record that Labour Party wrote to the state government for a venue for campaign and was denied, and challenged it to present the letter and the response from the state, denying them the use of a venue.

Aniagwu  said:  “The Labour Party creates an impression that it is being oppressed across the length and breadth of this country in order to attract sympathy.

“The Labour Party did not write to us as a government that it was going to have a rally in Delta. Somebody as highly placed as Prof. Pat Utomi went to town to allege that they have been prevented from campaigning in Delta.

“I challenge them to show any application letter sent to the Secretary to the State Government and let them also show the reply from the SSG.

“Somebody representing Prof. Utomi called me on Sunday morning ahead of their rally on Monday morning and I asked what were the issues?

“He said he would be glad if I could give them the Arcade for their campaign. And, I said, you are having a campaign on Monday and you are making phone call to demand for a venue on Sunday?”

The commissioner, who was flanked by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, said  the state government granted permission to the party for the rally and waived payment for the venue to demonstrate its democratic credentials.

“We asked the Labour Party not to pay for the venue that we would take the responsibility for even the cleaning of the place after the event.

“In spite of doing that, Prof. Pat Utomi, wanting to tell a lie, went to the media stations and the social media and alleged that we have prevented them from using public venue.

“So, the idea of Prof. Utomi lying to Nigerians is not what we need as a country at this point in time. Every political party should be free to campaign wherever they want to campaign, provided that they are not infringing on the rights of other persons.

“I will put more smiles on your faces if re-elected Binos assures constituents,” the commissioner added.