The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Abia State government of deploying prohibitive campaign fees as a deliberate strategy to stifle opposition participation in the 2027 general elections.
The accusation follows the announcement by the Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSSAA) of what the party describes as “astronomical” charges for outdoor political advertising.
Under the new regime, presidential candidates are to pay N200 million, governorship candidates N150 million, senatorial aspirants N150 million, House of Representatives candidates N50 million, and state assembly hopefuls N20 million.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday in Aba shortly after the agency unveiled the policy, the ADC Chairman in Abia State, Kalu Kalu, rejected the fee structure in its entirety, describing it as a calculated move to financially suffocate opposition parties ahead of the next election cycle.
“We are not naive. These figures were not arrived at by accident,” Kalu stated. “When you set a governorship campaign fee at N150 million, the same amount you charge a senatorial candidate, you are not regulating advertising—you are selecting who gets to compete.”
Kalu, who was accompanied by the ADC House of Assembly candidate for Arochukwu constituency, Francess Ogbonnaya Tabitha, argued that the charges far exceed the campaign expenditure limits explicitly provided for in the Electoral Act.
He warned that the policy, if allowed to stand, would fundamentally undermine the principle of fair play and equal opportunity enshrined in Nigeria’s electoral framework.
“Has it not exceeded the election expenses that are provided by the Electoral Act?” he fumed. “We are not opposing regulation. We are opposing exclusion. These fees are structured to ensure that only candidates with access to state coffers or billionaire backers can afford to put up billboards in Abia.”
The ADC chairman further alleged that the timing of the policy—coming over a year before the elections—suggests a premeditated effort to demoralise opposition candidates and deter credible aspirants from picking nomination forms.
He called on the Abia State government and ABSSAA to immediately review the charges downward to reflect realistic market rates, insisting that the agency must avoid any action that directly contravenes national electoral laws.
“This is not about the ADC alone,” Kalu added. “This is about every opposition party and every citizen who believes that democracy should not be auctioned to the highest bidder. If we allow this, we are telling young Nigerians with vision but without millions that they have no place in Abia politics.”
In response, the agency had earlier defended its policy, maintaining that the fees apply uniformly to all political parties and that no discrimination was intended.
However, ADC leaders remain unconvinced, vowing to explore all legal and political avenues to challenge what they term “economic voter suppression.”
The development has already sparked concerns among political observers, with some warning that exorbitant campaign costs could further entrench incumbency advantage and reduce electoral competitiveness in Abia State ahead of 2027.
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