Anambra campaign permit fee of ₦50 million per party sparks outrage as opposition accuses the state government of stifling democracy ahead of the governorship election
Anambra campaign permit fee has triggered political backlash as all sixteen political parties contesting the forthcoming governorship election on 8 November are expected to pay a cumulative ₦800 million to the state government before commencing outdoor political campaigns.
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Each party is required to pay ₦50 million for a campaign permit from the Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency.
This payment, according to officials, grants access to mount billboards and deploy campaign materials across the twenty-one local government areas in the state.
The policy, first reported by Nigerian Tribune, has since ignited sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the Labour Party and the All Progressives Congress, which have openly rejected the move.
Labour Party candidate, Chief George Moghalu, dismissed the directive as political theatre.
“They are jokers as far as I am concerned, and we want to see who would arrest people wearing campaign T-shirts and face caps or driving a branded vehicle,” he said.
That is what they are trying to do so that other parties cannot campaign, and it would be only APGA going on campaigns
Similarly, the APC Elders Forum Coordinator, Chief Bunty Onuigbo, accused the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance of using the fee as a strategy to suppress rival parties.
“That is what they are trying to do so that other parties cannot campaign, and it would be only APGA going on campaigns,” he claimed.
Onuigbo further questioned whether Governor Charles Soludo and APGA would comply with the payment directive. “How do we confirm that APGA has paid? How transparent is that agency to show us the evidence?”
The contentious fee is separate from the cost of physically mounting billboards, which is a separate arrangement between political parties and advertising firms.
ANSAA boss, Mr Tony Odili Ujubuonu, insisted the statutory fee is non-negotiable and must be paid into the state government’s official account.
He stated that the permit allows parties to roll out posters, branded vehicles, banners, rallies and similar campaign activities across the state, but warned that only materials vetted by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria would be permitted.
He reiterated that no individual or party is allowed to erect billboards independently. “Only advertising practitioners registered and licensed by ARCON are authorised to erect and manage such structures within the state as permitted by ANSAA,” he said.
The fee directive has deepened tensions as opposition voices insist the measure is a subtle attempt to tilt the political playing field in favour of the ruling party.
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As November approaches, the policy is likely to remain a major talking point in the state’s electioneering season.