The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has threatened to sue the Anambra State Government over its policy that governorship candidates for the November 8 election must pay a N50 million campaign permit fee.

The Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA) stated that the advertisement permit would enable the candidates and their political parties to deploy campaign materials such as posters, branded vehicles, among others.

NAN reports that 16 contestants, including the incumbent Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, have been cleared for the Nov. 8 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But ADC in the state argued that the policy was targeted at weakening the opposition political parties.

Mr Patrick Obianyo, the state chairman of ADC, who disclosed his party’s unhappiness on the directive, told newsmen on Thursday in Awka that they would challenge the action in court.

”If the state government refused to withdraw the plan, ADC would institute legal action against it,” Obianyo said.

“ADC governorship candidate will not make the payment as it amounts to intimidation and act of stifling democracy and the opposition.

“This is unheard of and unfortunately, a policy coming from the same Soludo who contested for governor in the year 2021 and never paid such money.

“How can a political party pay N50 million for an ordinary T-shirt, cap, and pamphlet?

“We are witnessing this for the first time in Anambra, and one wouldn’t know why the governor decided to have himself associated with such a policy.

“This is an indication that Gov. Soludo is afraid of the opposition.

“We never heard of it. We are saying no to such. We are capable of paying, but it is wrong, unconstitutional, and undemocratic, and we are rejecting it.”

He said that no stakeholders meeting was held before the decision was reached, and nobody knew how the state government came to such a decision.

Obianyo said that the party had drawn the attention of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) leadership on the issue.

He said the party cannot be intimidated, adding that their gubernatorial candidate and his running mate are fully prepared for the contest.