ADC Rejects Enugu Govt’s N150m Campaign Fee Ahead Of 2027

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State has condemned the imposition of a mandatory N150 million political campaign advertising permit fee by the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertising Agency, ENSSAA, describing it as illegal, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.

The opposition party claimed that the fee, announced for political parties and candidates participating in the 2026 local government elections and the 2027 general elections, is a ploy by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State to stifle opposition participation.

According to the ADC, the fee is an indication that Governor Peter Mbah and the APC are afraid of a free and fair contest and are resorting to “all kinds of undemocratic tactics” to frustrate their opponents.

The directive, announced by ENSSAA General Manager Francis Aninwike through the governor’s media office, requires political parties to pay the fee to deploy campaign materials such as banners, branded vehicles, T-shirts, handbills, and to conduct street campaigns and rallies across the 17 local government areas of the state.

Reacting in a statement, Enugu ADC Media Team, signed by Paul Anigbogu, insisted the fee is unlawful, pointing out that advertising falls under the Second Schedule of the Exclusive Legislative List in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), making it the sole responsibility of the National Assembly to regulate.

The party accused the Enugu State Government of attempting to usurp federal powers by imposing the fee.

The ADC also referenced a recent statement by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), which clarified that state signage and advertising agencies have no constitutional authority to request, receive, or approve political advertisements before exposure.

The party argued that the imposition of the N150 million fee, coming less than two weeks after ARCON’s statement, is a direct violation of federal oversight powers.

The opposition threatened legal action should the state government fail to rescind the fee, stating that it is committed to protecting the rights of political parties and candidates to campaign freely.

Enugu ADC further accused Governor Mba and the APC of using financial barriers and other undemocratic practices to intimidate opposition parties ahead of the forthcoming local council and general elections.

The party warned that such measures would skew the elections in favour of the ruling party, which has access to state resources, thereby undermining the competitiveness of the electoral process.

The ADC also reaffirmed that the statutory bodies responsible for regulating elections in the state are the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not ENSSAA or any other agency.

The opposition party vowed to adopt all lawful measures, including court action if necessary, to ensure that the people of Enugu are allowed to choose their leaders in a free, fair, and transparent manner, free from intimidation or harassment.