The Abia State Government has introduced a new political campaign advertising permit schedule requiring presidential candidates to pay N200 million before deploying campaign billboards and posters across the state.

The fee structure, unveiled on Wednesday by the Abia State Structures for Signages and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA), applies to candidates of all political parties seeking elective offices during the approved campaign period.

The announcement was made in Aba during a stakeholders’ forum on political campaign advertising fees themed, “Order in Outdoors: Partnership for Safe Campaigns, Sustainable Revenue and A Cleaner Abia.”

Speaking at the event, the Head of Department, Strategy, Innovation and Design at ABSSAA, Ndubuisi Nwaogwugwu, said the charges were backed by existing state laws regulating outdoor advertising and signage.

Under the approved schedule, governorship candidates are to pay N150 million, senatorial candidates N100 million, House of Representatives candidates N50 million, while House of Assembly candidates will pay N20 million for campaign advertising permits.

According to Nwaogwugwu, the fee structure has received state government approval and will remain applicable throughout the official election campaign period.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Abia State Strategic Communications Bureau, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, said the permit policy would be implemented without exception, describing it as a necessary measure to ensure orderliness, public safety and fairness in political advertising.

He maintained that the government would not discriminate against any political party or candidate, assuring stakeholders that equal access to outdoor advertising platforms would be guaranteed for all who comply with the stipulated guidelines and payment requirements.

Ememanka added that adherence to the regulations would promote a more organised and responsible campaign environment while setting a standard for future elections in the state.

However, the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) expressed reservations over the newly announced charges.

The association’s President, Dr. Sola Akinsiku, represented by its Treasurer, Chinweuba Nwagu, argued that the fees were excessive and could discourage political advertising, reduce voter awareness and ultimately weaken democratic participation.

He urged the state government to continue discussions with stakeholders in order to arrive at a more sustainable pricing structure that would protect both the outdoor advertising industry and the electoral process.

Similarly, the Abia State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kalu Kalu, questioned the legal basis for the charges.

He said the party would comply only if the fees were expressly backed by the relevant state law, otherwise the policy should be withdrawn.

Kalu further argued that previous Supreme Court decisions assigned the responsibility for collecting such outdoor advertising fees to local government councils, adding that any regulation inconsistent with the Electoral Act could face legal challenges.

Also speaking, Amankwe, who represented the Chief of Staff to Governor Alex Otti, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, emphasised the need for effective regulation of outdoor advertising and urged stakeholders to ensure political campaigns promote peace, unity and responsible public engagement.