Election Billboards Spark Political Uproar in Anambra as State Imposes ₦800 Million Campaign Fee

 

Political tensions are mounting in Anambra State following a new directive requiring all sixteen political parties participating in the upcoming gubernatorial election to cough up a total of N800 million as a permit fee for outdoor campaign advertisements. With each party expected to remit N50 million to the Anambra State Government, this mandate has ignited strong opposition and accusations of political suppression.

The Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA), the body responsible for regulating outdoor advertisements, announced the controversial policy ahead of the November 8 election. According to the agency’s Managing Director and CEO, Mr. Tony Odili Ujubuonu, the permit fee is a statutory prerequisite that entitles each political party to display campaign materials such as billboards, posters, banners, branded vehicles, fliers, T-shirts, face caps, and other paraphernalia in all 21 local government areas of the state.

Voices of dissent were quick to rise. Chief George Moghalu, the Labour Party’s candidate, expressed outrage, dismissing the directive as laughable and unenforceable. “They are jokers as far as I’m concerned. We want to see who will arrest someone wearing a campaign T-shirt or driving a branded vehicle,” Moghalu said, questioning both the legality and practical enforceability of such a sweeping policy.

From the All Progressives Congress (APC) came a similarly critical response. Chief Bunty Onuigbo, Coordinator of the APC Elders Forum, described the policy as a veiled attempt to stifle opposition voices and tilt the campaign playing field in favor of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). “This is a tactical move to keep other parties out of the streets, while APGA campaigns freely. We demand transparency—has APGA paid the N50 million? Show us the evidence,” he challenged.

Despite these concerns, ANSAA has remained steadfast in enforcing the fee, emphasizing that only registered advertising practitioners approved by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) are permitted to handle the erection and management of campaign billboards. The agency further warned that campaign materials must undergo mandatory vetting by ARCON before public display.

The new fee policy comes amid broader scrutiny over the cost of political participation in Nigeria. Critics argue that the financial burden imposed on candidates and political parties undermines the democratic process by favoring the wealthy and entrenched political elites. Smaller parties and independent candidates may find themselves edged out—not due to lack of public support but because they lack the financial muscle to comply with expensive bureaucratic demands.

Another layer of complexity arises from the distinction between the permit fee and the actual cost of mounting billboard advertisements. While the N50 million is paid directly to the Anambra State Government for the permit, political parties must also negotiate separate commercial fees with private advertisement companies to secure billboard space. This dual-layered financial requirement, observers note, could easily push campaign costs into the stratosphere.

For supporters of the policy, the government is merely regulating an often chaotic and cluttered campaign landscape. They argue that standardized permits and enforcement of advertising rules will foster order, reduce visual pollution, and ensure fair access to public spaces. However, the lack of clarity surrounding how the fees will be used, or whether they apply equally to all parties—including the ruling APGA—has cast doubt on the government’s motives.

Residents of Anambra are watching closely, some expressing concern that political elites may be using state institutions to tilt the balance of the democratic process. “The public deserves answers,” said Nkemdilim Umeh, a political analyst based in Awka. “We need full transparency. Has the ruling party paid? Is this fee legally binding? Will the funds be used to improve campaign infrastructure or simply funnelled into government coffers?”

The stakes could not be higher. Anambra, long regarded as a bellwether for southeastern Nigerian politics, is gearing up for a fiercely contested gubernatorial election that will shape the political future of the region. Already, the campaign atmosphere is charged with fierce rivalry, legal wrangling, and strategic maneuvering. The introduction of a mandatory N50 million campaign permit fee has only raised the stakes, adding a new battleground to an already complex electoral chessboard.

For now, opposition parties have vowed to challenge the policy, threatening legal action and civil resistance. Whether the courts or the streets will ultimately decide the fate of the permit directive remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the road to November 8 will not be a smooth ride, especially as the question of equity, transparency, and political freedom remains unresolved.

As the days inch closer to the polls, citizens and candidates alike must navigate not just political opposition, but also the steep financial toll of democratic expression. In the heart of Anambra, democracy is on trial—not just in words and votes, but in naira and kobo.