John Nwaigwe
₦200M CAMPAIGN FEE SPARKS LEGAL SHOWDOWN AS MAKINDE, APM SUE ABIA GOVERNOR OTTI
Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has dragged Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to court over an alleged ₦200 million fee imposed on presidential candidates seeking to display campaign materials across the state.
The suit, filed at the Abia State High Court, Umuahia Judicial Division, on September 17, 2026, was registered as HU/214/2026.
Makinde and the APM listed Otti, the Abia State Attorney-General, the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSAA), and the Abia State House of Assembly as defendants.
The plaintiffs are challenging what they described as an unconstitutional restriction on presidential campaign activities, asking the court to nullify regulations issued by ABSAA requiring presidential candidates to pay ₦200 million—or any other amount—for campaign signage.
They are also seeking a perpetual injunction preventing the defendants and their agents from removing, defacing, destroying or obstructing their campaign billboards and other outdoor advertisements in Abia State.
In their argument, Makinde and the APM maintained that the alleged fee conflicts with the 2026 Electoral Act and constitutional provisions governing elections. They particularly relied on Section 99(2), which they said prohibits the use of state machinery or regulatory agencies to favour or disadvantage a political party or candidate.
The plaintiffs further argued that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the constitutional and statutory responsibility for regulating political campaigns, citing relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act.
According to the claimants, allowing a state signage agency to impose such a substantial charge on presidential candidates could create an uneven playing field, particularly for candidates without access to the resources of an incumbent political structure.
Continues in comments below ⬇️
