Kwara PDP, ADC reject N100m political advert fee

The Kwara State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress have rejected the new political campaign advertising permit charges introduced by the Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency.

They described the fees as excessive, unjustifiable and capable of restricting opposition participation in the 2027 elections.

The parties’ positions followed a stakeholders’ engagement on political advertising and campaign communications organised by KWASAA in Ilorin, where the agency unveiled a new fee schedule ranging from N2m to N100m for candidates contesting various elective positions.

Under the schedule, presidential candidates are expected to pay N100m for campaign advertising permits, while governorship candidates will pay N50m, senatorial candidates N30m, House of Representatives candidates N10m and House of Assembly candidates N2m.

In a statement on Sunday, the Kwara PDP Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, said the party and its candidates would not submit to charges considered arbitrary, unlawful or unsupported by a valid legal instrument.

Adewara said the PDP would comply with legitimate regulations governing lawful, decent and responsible political communication but would resist what he described as an unjustifiable financial burden imposed by the state government.

The PDP spokesman said the party recognised KWASAA’s regulatory responsibilities, including the regulation of outdoor advertising structures, issuance of permits and control of posters and political signs.

He, however, questioned the legal and administrative basis for the new charges, asking who approved the fees, how they were calculated and what services the agency would provide to justify the millions of naira being demanded.

Adewara said, “The existence of regulatory powers does not give public institutions an unlimited licence to impose arbitrary financial burdens on citizens and political candidates.”

He further argued that the charges could undermine equal participation in the electoral process, particularly if opposition parties and candidates were unable to afford the fees.

The PDP also cited provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing political campaigns and media access, arguing that public institutions should not be used to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate.

The party said implementing the policy in its current form could turn political communication into an exclusive preserve of wealthy candidates and the ruling party.

“The new KWASA policy, if implemented in its present form, could have the practical effect of turning political communication into an exclusive preserve of the ruling party and this will be fatally unhealthy for our democracy,” he said.

Similarly, the Kwara State chapter of the ADC rejected the fees, describing the new charges as an attempt to place a financial barrier on political participation ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a separate statement signed by its state Publicity Secretary, Kabir Basambo, the ADC said the N100m presidential permit fee and other charges amounted to “taxation of democracy.”

Basambo said, “This is not regulation. This is taxation of democracy.”

The ADC argued that the fees were illegal and unjustifiable, insisting that the agency had not provided a sufficient legal basis for the charges.

The party said the policy could effectively make political visibility available only to candidates with deep financial resources, thereby shutting out credible aspirants and reducing elections to what it described as an “auction.”

The ADC also accused KWASAA of being used to suppress opposition voices, saying the agency should regulate order and safety rather than restrict political participation.

Basambo said the party would challenge the policy through lawful and democratic means, including the courts, if the charges were not withdrawn.

The ADC called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to direct KWASAA to reverse the fees, stressing that political advertising regulation must be fair, lawful and inclusive.

The two opposition parties’ objections come as political parties in Kwara intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with campaign activities expected to increase ahead of the commencement of the official electioneering period.

KWASAA had said the new campaign permit fees were part of its regulatory framework for political advertising, with the charges applying across the various categories of candidates.