The Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA) has announced a new fee regime for political campaign advertisements ahead of the 2027 general elections, placing a N200 million permit fee on presidential candidates seeking to erect campaign billboards and outdoor promotional materials across the state.
This development means that major contenders expected to participate in the next presidential election, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Labour Party’s Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as well as other aspirants, will be required to obtain approval from the agency before displaying campaign structures in Abia.
The policy was unveiled on Wednesday during the agency’s 2026 Stakeholders Engagement Forum held in Aba.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Strategy and Innovation of ABSSAA, Ndubuisi Nwogwugwu, said the agency introduced the fees as part of efforts to regulate political advertising and ensure compliance with established standards for outdoor campaigns.
Under the new arrangement, governorship candidates will pay N150 million for campaign advertising permits. Senatorial candidates are expected to pay N100 million, while candidates seeking election into the House of Representatives will pay N50 million.
Those contesting seats in the Abia State House of Assembly will be required to pay N20 million.
According to the agency, the permit covers campaign advertisements and outdoor publicity activities throughout the election period.
Nwogwugwu said political parties and candidates must comply with the state’s advertising regulations, warning that any campaign structure erected without approval would be removed.
He also stated that billboards and campaign materials that fail to meet approved standards or pose risks to public safety would not be allowed.
“The agency will not hesitate to revoke approvals or remove structures that violate laid down regulations,” he said.
ABSSAA further disclosed that candidates seeking seats in the State House of Assembly who may be unable to pay the prescribed fee have the option of participating in joint campaign billboards alongside their party’s governorship candidate.
The agency explained that such arrangements would allow candidates to maintain visibility while reducing individual advertising costs.
Officials at the stakeholders’ forum maintained that the policy was designed to create order within the outdoor advertising space and prevent indiscriminate placement of campaign materials during the election season.
Also speaking at the event, the Director General of the Abia State Bureau of Strategic Communication, Onyebuchi Ememanka, dismissed suggestions that the policy was targeted at opposition parties.
According to him, the fees apply equally to all political parties and candidates regardless of political affiliation.
Ememanka said the government had no intention of restricting political participation or limiting the visibility of any candidate ahead of the elections.
He noted that all parties would be treated fairly under the regulations.
“The campaign fees were not designed to stifle Abia opposition voices and visibility,” he stated, adding that the policy affects every political party operating in the state.
However, the announcement immediately drew criticism from opposition figures present at the forum.
The Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abia State, Kalu Kalu, rejected the policy and questioned its legality.
Kalu argued that the fees could place an unnecessary financial burden on political parties and candidates, particularly smaller parties with limited resources.
He maintained that the policy runs contrary to the spirit of the Electoral Act and could undermine fair political competition.
According to him, the fee structure raises concerns about campaign spending limits and equal opportunities for all contestants.
However, the Presidency on April 2025 publicly distanced itself from campaign billboards promoting President Bola Tinubu’s alleged 2027 re-election bid in several parts of the country.
At the time, campaign posters and billboards bearing the images of Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had surfaced in Abuja, Kano and other locations, sparking discussions about early electioneering activities.
Reacting to the development, the Presidency said neither the President nor the Vice President had authorised any individual or group to begin campaigns for the 2027 election.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency urged those behind the billboards to stop immediately.
The statement read: “Until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sets the timetable for the 2027 elections, the President has not endorsed or authorised anyone or any group to mount a 2027 campaign for him through any media channel.”
It further stated: “Therefore, we urgently call on individuals and groups funding this 2027 political campaign through the ongoing deployment of materials on billboards nationwide to cease immediately.”
The Presidency also stressed that President Tinubu remained focused on governance and the implementation of ongoing economic and social reforms rather than election campaigns.
