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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Delta State Government, yesterday, described as cheap lies and blackmail the statement by Prof. Pat Utomi that it denied Labour Party (LP)venue to hold its presidential campaign rally in the state.
The government insisted that it never denied LP and its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi the use of any venue in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Asaba, Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, regretted that 10 minutes after approving the Oshimili Arcade in Asaba and granting the party the necessary waiver, Utomi ran to social media to spread lies that they were denied a venue.
Aniagwu maintained that LP ab-initio, did not apply to the state government for the use any facility, noting however that to demonstrate the state’s democratic credentials and avoid falling into a booby trap, the Arcade was approved even without the initial application.
“We waived the issue of the application which they should have done, we waived the payment, we even take responsibility to clean up the place after they used it.
“In spite of that, within 10 minutes of making it available to them and ask them to take over the venue, Pat Utomi wanting to tell a lie, went to the social media and alleged that we denied them of the venue.
“They were to use the venue on Monday, it was on Sunday morning phone call they made that we acted upon. We knew what they wanted to do.
“They thought we would hold on to the fact that they didn’t apply, and then make it look like every person is their own, and they Asaba is shut down.
“So when they went to that venue, you saw the number they pulled. If it were to be before, it will be everywhere in the social media that Asaba is shut down.
