Small change? Publisher charges MDAs N5m to advertise in ‘APC compendium’

Reminiscent of the days the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power, a publishing firm claiming to be an authorised agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sent letters to government agencies asking them to advertise in the maiden edition of a “compendium” on the ruling party.

But the party has disowned the firm and described the letter as “forged” and the publisher as an “impostor”.

The agencies were asked to pay N5 million for premium positions in the upcoming publication, “Agents of Change: A Compendium of the Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress”.

The cheapest advert goes for N650,000 for a quarter page, while a half-page advert goes for N1.55 million. A run-of-page full-page advert is charged at N2.5 million.

In a letter sent to government agencies by Richysan Ventures Nig. Ltd, Nkere Philip Hanson, the project co-ordinator, wrote: “We are in the process of publishing the maiden edition of the All Progressives Congress Compendium which will feature the key players in the present political dispensation having been authorized by the party. Please find enclose (enclosed) the Letter of Approval.

“It will contain the Photographs and Bio-data of the political Leaders at the National, Zonal, State, Local Government Councils and Wards in Nigeria.

“Our editorial committee has selected a few organizations, your inclusive whose economic activities and corporate social responsibilities have impacted positively on the lives of Nigerians to showcase in this all-important publication.”

Hanson said the publication consists of “about Eight Hundred (800) pages. About Twenty Five Thousand (25,000) copies will be printed and circulated both locally and internationally to public libraries, Government agencies and Nigerian missions abroad”.

The publication was tied to the commemoration of the “first 100 days in office of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2015”.

The deadline for payments was stated as August 31, 2015.

The company attached a letter signed by Chris Owoicho, the special assistant to the APC national organising secretary, Osita Izunaso, authorising it to embark on the project.

“Please note that the Party will not bear any financial responsibility in the course of the project,” Owoicho wrote.

TheCable understands that some of the agencies are not too enthusiastic about participating in the project not just because of budgetary constraint but also because of a possible backlash for incurring expenses in a partisan publication.

No one is sure of the likely reaction of Buhari should the agencies be seen spending money on such a publication.

Lai Mohammed, APC spokesman, told TheCable he was not aware of the planned publication.

He said he got in touch with Izunaso whom he said also denied endorsing the publication.

“Izunaso said he never authorised anybody to issue such a letter. And I am not even aware of it. Whoever is doing that is on his own, and should be disregarded,” he said.

“The boy (Owoicho) is his (Izunaso) SA, but he has said he knows nothing about the letter. So, I’m quoting him.”

But TheCable is in possession of what appears to be the letter of authorisation from APC.

Hanson, the project co-ordinator, told TheCable that he received permission from the APC to carry out the project and maintained that there was no attempt to extort money from government agencies.

“I applied for permission, and they (APC) gave me permission for the project. Because money was not given, I had to look for source funding to print it. Have I violated any law?” he said.