2027: PDP kicks as Kogi govt fixes N150m campaign signage fee for presidential candidates

The Kogi State Government in Nigeria has set a fixed fee of N150 million for the placement of campaign billboards for presidential candidates running in the 2027 general elections and the upcoming local government elections in October 2026. This decision was made known by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, during a meeting with stakeholders from the signage and advertising industry in Lokoja, the state capital.

The announcement comes as political campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to begin on August 19. The government claims that these fees are meant to regulate political advertising, ensure adherence to existing signage laws, and generate revenue for the development of Kogi State. The fees for senatorial candidates are set at N50 million, while those for House of Representatives, State House of Assembly, and local government elections are N30 million, N5 million, and N150 million respectively for chairmanship and councillorship candidates.

However, the State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized the new campaign signage and promotional material fees, describing them as excessive, disproportionate, and undemocratic. The PDP's State Chairman, Mohammed Gambo, argues that the fees are unreasonable and contradictory to the constitutional rights of political parties, candidates, and citizens to freely participate in the democratic process.

Gambo contends that the N50 million fee for a senatorial candidate represents 10% of the candidate's statutory spending ceiling under Section 92(4) of the Electoral Act 2026. He emphasizes that such an amount would be spent before the candidate covers costs of rallies, media, transportation, campaign offices, logistics, and other legitimate campaign activities.

Gambo stresses that elections are about ideas, service, and the will of the people, and government regulation should never become a financial barrier that determines who can effectively communicate with the electorate.