The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the ₦50 million campaign permit fee recently announced by the Anambra State Government, describing it as a deliberate attempt to stifle opposition ahead of the upcoming governorship election.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday in Awka, ADC Chairman in the state, Comrade Patrick Obianyo, described the move as a “rip-off” and an unprecedented imposition in Nigeria’s democratic history.
“Just yesterday, the government of Soludo stated that any candidate contesting the governorship election must pay ₦50 million for campaign posters, including flyers, face caps, and vehicle branding. This is unheard of,” Obianyo said.
He criticized Governor Chukwuma Soludo, noting that the governor himself did not pay such a fee during his campaign in 2021.
“To crown it all, this outrageous fee also covers T-shirts, flyers, and branding of vehicles for political campaigns. This has never happened in any political setting in this country. It is completely undemocratic,” he added.
Obianyo accused the governor of attempting to suppress opposition voices, saying the move shows the government is jittery about the momentum of rival parties.
“This is not about our ability to pay. The ADC has the capacity, but we will not support an unconstitutional and undemocratic policy. We will challenge it using all legal and constitutional means available to us.”
He also debunked claims that all political parties were consulted and had agreed to the fee. According to him, neither he nor the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) was part of any such meeting.
“Unfortunately, they went ahead to claim they met with all political parties and that everyone accepted the decision. Where did they meet the parties? I am the state chairman of ADC, and nothing of that sort ever happened. The IPAC Chairman has also denied attending or being aware of any such meeting.”
Obianyo called on the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSA) to withdraw the proposed fee, describing it as unacceptable and oppressive.
“This is a clear attempt to muzzle the opposition ahead of the elections. The same opportunity Governor Soludo had in 2021 should be extended to others contesting now,” he concluded.
