The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ogugu State Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Michael Idoko, has rejected the ₦5 million campaign signage fee imposed on assembly candidates by the state government ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Idoko made the position known in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday. He described the levy as anti-democratic and anti-people, warning that it could make political participation increasingly dependent on a candidate’s financial strength.
The Kogi State Government approved fees of ₦150 million for presidential candidates, ₦50 million for senatorial candidates, ₦30 million for House of Representatives candidates, and ₦5 million for State House of Assembly candidates.
The charges cover campaign billboards, posters, branded T-shirts, caps and other promotional materials for the 2027 elections and the October 2026 local government polls.
Commissioner for Information and Communications Kingsley Fanwo announced the rates in Lokoja after a stakeholders’ meeting with operators in the signage and advertising sector.
Reacting, Idoko questioned the distinction between commercial and political billboards and asked how billboards actually win votes.
He argued that elections are won through grassroots mobilisation, credibility, service and public trust rather than the number or size of campaign structures.
“History has repeatedly shown that many candidates have won elections without erecting a single billboard. Votes come from the hearts of the people, not from painted metal structures,” he said.
Idoko said the ₦5 million demanded of assembly candidates could instead be used to address constituents’ needs.
“With ₦5m, I can pay school fees for indigent students, support widows, empower struggling youths through small businesses, provide medical assistance for vulnerable families and improve community welfare in Ogugu.“
"Asking candidates to spend such money on billboards while many citizens cannot afford food, medication and transportation is morally indefensible,” he added.
He rejected the justification that the levy was meant to generate revenue and regulate political advertising, insisting that government should not turn political participation into a revenue source.
He warned that the charges could discourage young aspirants, women and grassroots politicians from seeking elective office, ultimately harming democracy.
Idoko challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state to explain how the levies align with its claims of running a people-oriented administration.
He reaffirmed his commitment to a grassroots campaign focused on direct engagement with voters across Ogugu State Constituency, saying public trust would remain his major campaign asset.
