Post by Ibadan Watch (@Ibadanwatch)

Abia Fixes ₦200m Permit Fee for Presidential Campaign Billboards Ahead of 2027.

The Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA) has introduced a new fee regime for political campaign advertisements ahead of the 2027 general elections, requiring presidential candidates to pay ₦200 million for permits to erect campaign billboards and outdoor promotional materials across the state.

The policy applies to all prospective presidential contenders, including President Bola Tinubu, Labour Party's Peter Obi, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other aspirants seeking to campaign in Abia.

The new guidelines were unveiled during the agency's 2026 Stakeholders Engagement Forum in Aba. According to ABSSAA's Director of Strategy and Innovation, Ndubuisi Nwogwugwu, the fees are intended to regulate outdoor political advertising and ensure compliance with established standards.

Under the framework, governorship candidates will pay ₦150 million, senatorial candidates ₦100 million, House of Representatives candidates ₦50 million, while State House of Assembly candidates will pay ₦20 million. The agency warned that campaign structures erected without approval or those that fail to meet safety and regulatory standards would be removed.

ABSSAA also announced that House of Assembly candidates unable to meet the prescribed fees could share campaign billboards with their party's governorship candidate to reduce costs while maintaining visibility. Officials insisted the policy was designed to create order in the outdoor advertising space and prevent indiscriminate placement of campaign materials throughout the election period.

Responding to concerns that the charges were aimed at weakening opposition parties, the Director General of the Abia State Bureau of Strategic Communication, Onyebuchi Ememanka, maintained that the regulations apply equally to every political party and candidate, regardless of political affiliation. He stressed that the government had no intention of restricting political participation or limiting any candidate's visibility ahead of the elections.

However, the policy drew immediate criticism from opposition parties. The Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abia State, Kalu Kalu, questioned the legality of the fees, arguing that they could impose an unfair financial burden on political parties, particularly smaller ones with limited resources.

He contended that the fee structure raises concerns about compliance with the Electoral Act and could undermine equal opportunities and fair political competition.

The development also comes against the backdrop of an earlier statement by the Presidency distancing President Tinubu from campaign billboards promoting his alleged 2027 re-election bid.

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