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The Abia State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the signage fees announced by the Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSSAA), describing them as not only outrageous and punitive but also a draconian assault on political participation.
ABSSAA had on Wednesday placed a N200 million signage fee on all 2027 presidential candidates and fees ranging from N150 million to N20 million on candidates contesting governorship and other elective positions before they could display their political campaign posters anywhere in the state.
In a statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Jude Udeachara, the PDP said it considered the policy an outrageous commercialisation of the democratic space, a calculated assault on opposition candidates, and an unconscionable attempt to convert political participation into the exclusive privilege of the wealthy and those with access to public funds.
The PDP said this was not regulation but political extortion dressed in administrative language, aimed at silencing political opponents and denying less financially endowed candidates the opportunity to communicate with the Abia electorate.
“Governor Otti must be reminded that Abia State is not his private estate and that ABSSAA is not an instrument that may lawfully be deployed to erect financial barricades against opposition political parties. Public advertising spaces are part of the democratic environment in which candidates must be allowed to canvass for votes under fair, transparent and reasonable conditions.
“The imposition of these prohibitive charges raises grave questions about the Otti administration’s understanding of the campaign finance framework established by the Electoral Act 2026.
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“Section 92 of the Act limits the total election expenditure of a presidential candidate to ₦10 billion, a governorship candidate to ₦3 billion, a senatorial candidate to ₦500 million, a House of Representatives candidate to ₦250 million, and a State House of Assembly candidate to ₦100 million. A candidate who knowingly exceeds the applicable ceiling commits an offence and may, upon conviction, face a fine, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.”
The party argued that if all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory were to replicate Abia’s ₦200 million charge, a presidential candidate would be required to spend ₦7.4 billion on permits alone.
“That would consume 74 per cent of the candidate’s entire ₦10 billion statutory spending ceiling before paying for the production, mounting or maintenance of a single billboard or undertaking any other campaign activity.
“This exposes the absurdity, recklessness and anti-democratic character of the Alex Otti administration’s policy.”
The PDP called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take immediate notice of the development and caution the Abia State Government against policies capable of undermining a level playing field ahead of the 2027 elections.
