Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has taken Abia State Governor Alex Otti and other state authorities to court over a ₦200 million campaign advertising fee imposed on presidential candidates seeking to display campaign materials in the state.
Makinde and the APM filed the suit before the Abia State High Court in Umuahia, challenging the legality of the fee set by the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency.
The case, marked HC/214/2026, was filed on September 17 through the plaintiffs’ legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Musibau Adetunbi.
Other defendants in the case are the Abia State Attorney-General, the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency and the Abia State House of Assembly.
Makinde Challenges Legality of Fee
Makinde and the APM are asking the court to set aside the regulations under which the ₦200 million campaign fee was imposed and to stop the state authorities from enforcing the charge.
They are also seeking an injunction preventing the removal, destruction, defacement or obstruction of their campaign billboards and other outdoor advertisements within Abia State.
The plaintiffs argue that the fee is unconstitutional and inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
They further contend that electoral campaign regulations fall within the authority of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and that state regulatory powers over outdoor advertising should not be exercised in a manner that conflicts with federal electoral legislation.
APM Cites Presidential Campaign Spending Limit
A major part of the plaintiffs’ argument centres on the statutory limit for presidential campaign expenditure.
According to Makinde and the APM, the Electoral Act 2026 sets the maximum expenditure for a presidential campaign at ₦10 billion nationwide.
They argue that if other states introduced similarly high billboard charges, the cumulative cost could consume a substantial portion of the permitted campaign spending limit before other expenses such as transportation, media advertising, venues and campaign operations are considered.
The plaintiffs therefore want the court to declare the ₦200 million fee null and void.
Other Campaign Fees Also Listed
Reports on the regulations indicate that the signage agency also set fees for other categories of political candidates, including ₦150 million for governorship candidates, ₦100 million for senatorial candidates, ₦50 million for House of Representatives candidates and ₦20 million for State Assembly candidates.
Makinde and the APM, however, are specifically challenging the ₦200 million charge applicable to presidential candidates.
Court Asked to Protect Campaign Materials
The plaintiffs have also asked the court to restrain the defendants and their agents from interfering with their campaign materials while the dispute is being determined.
They argue that imposing what they consider an excessive campaign fee could restrict candidates’ ability to publicly communicate with voters and create unequal conditions for political campaigns.
The case is now before the Abia State High Court, where the court will determine the legal questions raised by Makinde and the APM.
The Abia State Government and Governor Alex Otti are yet to have their positions on the substantive claims determined by the court.
