The Abia State chapters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have rejected the new campaign fees introduced by the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency, ABSSAA, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
ABSSAA had announced a new fee structure on Wednesday, fixing campaign permit fees at N200 million for presidential candidates, N150 million for governorship candidates and N100 million for senatorial candidates.
Under the new policy, House of Representatives candidates are expected to pay N50 million, while House of Assembly candidates will pay N20 million.
Reacting to the development, the APC accused the Abia State Government of using state institutions to intimidate, frustrate and financially weaken opposition parties.
In a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, the APC described the policy as a deliberate attempt to commercialise democracy and restrict political participation to wealthy individuals and those with access to government resources.
The party also argued that the fees conflict with the provisions of Section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026, as amended, which prescribes limits on campaign expenditure.
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party condemned the policy, alleging that it was an attempt by the Abia State Government to auction the political space to the highest bidder.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Jude Udeachara, the PDP called for the immediate withdrawal of the campaign fee policy.
The opposition party described the charges as political extortion disguised as an administrative regulation, insisting that the policy could undermine fair political competition ahead of the 2027 elections.
