AAC Blasts Kogi Over N150Million Presidential, N50M Senate, N30M Reps, Other Campaign Signage Fees | Sahara Reporters

The party made its position known in a statement signed by its Kogi State Chairman, Abel Emmanuel Monday, on Wednesday.

The African Action Congress (AAC), Kogi State Chapter, has condemned the campaign signage fees approved by the Kogi State Government ahead of the 2027 general elections and forthcoming local government elections, describing the charges as “anti-democratic” and capable of restricting political participation.

The party made its position known in a statement signed by its Kogi State Chairman, Abel Emmanuel Monday, on Wednesday.

The condemnation followed an announcement by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, that the state government had approved new fees for campaign signage and related political advertising materials.

Under the new regime, presidential candidates are expected to pay N150 million, senatorial candidates N50 million, House of Representatives candidates N30 million, and State House of Assembly candidates N5 million.

Similarly, chairmanship candidates are to pay N2 million, while councillorship candidates are required to pay N300,000.

According to Fanwo, the fees were arrived at following a peer review and were intended to regulate political advertising, ensure compliance and generate revenue for the state.

He also warned that campaign materials erected without payment of the prescribed fees would be removed and offenders prosecuted.

The General Manager of the Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KOSSAA), Richard Osaseyi, reportedly announced that full enforcement of the new fees would commence next week.

However, AAC argued that the charges could undermine political competition by making campaign activities unaffordable for opposition parties, emerging political movements and grassroots candidates.

“The central question is simple: Should the right to campaign and communicate with voters depend on who can afford to pay millions of naira?” the party asked.

The party said democracy should provide a level playing field for political parties and candidates to compete based on their “ideas, policies, competence, character and ability to serve the people.”

It added that such charges could prevent candidates and political movements with limited financial resources from effectively reaching voters.

“AAC is particularly concerned that such fees could disproportionately affect opposition parties,” the statement said.

The party warned that a financially prohibitive regulatory framework could “restrict political competition and reduce the ability of citizens to hear alternative voices before making their electoral choices.”

It further cautioned that KOSSAA risked becoming “a mechanism that makes political participation accessible only to the financially powerful.”

Describing the Kogi State Government’s decision as “anti-democratic,” AAC said electoral victory should not be determined by the ability of candidates to pay for billboards and other campaign materials.

“Winning elections in 2027 is not about billboards, T-shirts or caps. It is about the people deciding based on what they perceive as good governance and who they want to lead them,” the party said.

AAC maintained that Kogi State and its political space belonged to all citizens and political parties, irrespective of their financial strength.

The party therefore urged the state government to withdraw the announced fees and introduce what it described as a more reasonable framework that would regulate outdoor political advertising without undermining democratic participation.

“Democracy should not be for the highest bidder,” AAC declared.

The party said it remained committed to defending the right of every citizen and political party to participate “freely, fairly and meaningfully” in the democratic process.