According to the revised INEC election timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, political campaign for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will start from August 19,2026 to twenty four hours before the election day while that of Governorship and State Houses of Assembly is scheduled between September 9,2026 and twenty four hours before the commencement of polls. To qualify to campaign for any elective position in Nigeria in the absence of independent candidature, the aspirant must be a Nigerian of unquestionable integrity and a member of a registered political party. He or she must be duly nominated, endorsed and sponsored by the party. Additionally, he or she must win the party’s primary election in line with the provisions of the Electoral Amendment Act and the 1999 constitution as amended.
Regrettably, many political parties and candidates found it extremely difficult to campaign for votes after winning primary elections due to anti-parties and anti-aspirants stance of the Signage Advertising Agencies. The agencies imposed outrageous campaign fees on the political parties and aspirants for billboards and posters . It is an incontrovertible fact that captivating and fascinating billboards and campaign posters positioned at strategic locations and target audiences play crucial roles in election campaigns and electioneering. However, for political and remote reasons, most of the Signage Advertising Agencies established by state governments unilaterally banned political campaigns in many states a few years ago. The agencies imposed compulsory advertising fees on political parties and the candidates seeking elective posts in the states. Unfortunately, political parties and candidates who could not pay the fees were not allowed to mount their billboards or display their posters, branded materials or organise rallies in the states. While elucidating the essence of advertising permits to include ensuring orderly conduct of campaigns, enforcement of advertising rules, checking environmental pollution and protection of designated campaign venues, the agencies maintained that payment of campaign permits is mandatory for serving public office holders and new aspirants. Aside warning defaulters of severe sanctions including arrest and prosecution, the agencies disclosed that it is an offence punishable by law to deface or destroy billboards and campaign materials belonging to opposition political parties and candidates.
Recall that before the 2023 general and off-season governorship elections, the Signage Advertising Agencies not only banned billboards and posters in many states of the federation but also introduced costly advertising fees. For instance, Kogi State Signage Advertising Agency cautioned political parties, candidates and support groups against posting campaign materials in all the local Government Areas and the state capital. The agency imposed five million naira for campaign materials, two million naira for billboards, one million naira for banners and fifty million naira caution fee. In Bayelsa State, the Agency fixed exorbitant fees for billboards and campaign posters. Here in Imo State, the Signage Advertising Agency imposed fifty four million naira on political parties and candidates who indicated interest to contest against the incumbent Governor. The Agency threatened legal action against any candidate who failed to pay the advertising fee . In Ekiti State, the Signage Advertising Agency mandated political parties and candidates to pay five million naira before mounting their billboards or displaying campaign posters in any part of the state. Following the inability of the candidates to meet the huge financial requirement, only the billboards and campaign posters of the incumbent Governors flooded major towns, cities, roads, streets, electoral wards, local Government Areas and the States Capital. This dictatorial, totalitarian and undemocratic stance of the agencies must not be allowed to reoccur in the 2026 and 2027 elections. Political parties and the aspirants should be allowed to test their popularity and showcase their ideologies and manifestos at campaigns and rallies.
Again, a few weeks ago, the Enugu State Signage Advertising Agency announced that political parties and individuals interested in contesting elective posts must pay a non refundable advertising fee of one hundred and fifty million naira before displaying their billboards and posters in the state. Similarly, Advertising Agencies in other states controlled by opposition ruling parties have their own advertisement rates designed to either undermine political campaigns or political rivals.
Although Signage Advertising Agencies play important roles in the promotion of businesses, beautification, sanitization and protection of the environment, their advertisement rates for 2027 general elections are excessive, outrageous and need to be reconsidered with dispatch. Admitted that election billboards, political parties branded campaign materials or candidates posters do not win elections, opposition political parties, aspirants, political support groups and Civil Society Organisations have utterly condemned the imposition of compulsory advertising fees on political parties and aspirants. They accused the ruling government of using the Signage Advertising Agencies to muffle, intimidate and frustrate opposition political parties and drive Nigeria to a one-party state. Arbitrary imposition of compulsory advertising fees on aspirants is anti-democracy and a flagrant violation of their fundamental right to associate, to vote and be voted for. There is therefore an urgent need for a downward review and uniformity in the advertisement rates for political campaigns in Nigeria. Campaign fees for billboards and posters must not be at variance with the provisions of the Electoral Amendment Act and the 1999 constitution. The National Assembly, INEC, Political parties, Political parties Registration and Regulatory Commission and Civil Society Organisations should rise to the occasion and ensure that the Signage Advertising Agencies do not breach relevant electoral laws. The various State Houses of Assembly in particular should review laws relating to the establishment of the Signage Advertising Agencies to ensure that Nigeria’s electoral process meets global standards. Campaign fees and expression of interest forms must be moderate and affordable. In the same vein, all elective posts in the states must be competitive and not for the highest bidders. Imposition of aspirants on the electorate must be resisted and any aspirant found to have been imposed on the people rejected at the polls. The unbridled quest and desperation for acquisition and retention of political power, self-succession, abuse of power of incumbency, violation of fundamental human rights and the rule of law must be stopped forthwith.
Most importantly, there must be a level playing field for all political parties and aspirants as well as objective reporting of electoral promises and messages.
Finally , if Nigeria is actually practicing democracy defined by a former American President, Abraham Lincoln, as “government of the people by the people and for the people”, Nigerian citizens must be allowed to elect their leaders who will be answerable, accountable and responsible to them and not the opposite.
