Kwara PDP Rejects N100m Political Campaign Permit Levy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has rejected the N100 million political campaign permit charges introduced by the Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA).

The opposition party described the levies as excessive, unjustifiable and capable of creating a financial barrier against opposition parties and their candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

LEADERSHIP reports that KWASAA, during a stakeholders’ engagement on political advertising and campaign communications held in Ilorin on Thursday, announced levies under which presidential candidates are expected to pay N100 million, governorship candidates N50 million, senatorial candidates N30 million, House of Representatives candidates N10 million, and House of Assembly candidates N2 million for campaign advertising permits.

However, the PDP, in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, said the party or any of its candidates would not submit to any charge that is “arbitrary, unlawful or unsupported by a valid and properly disclosed legal instrument.”

“The PDP will only comply with legitimate requirements governing lawful, decent, orderly and responsible political communication,” Adewara added.

“While we recognise and respect the regulatory responsibilities of KWASAA, an agency created under the PDP administration and empowered under the Kwara State law to regulate outdoor structures, issue permits, control the size, number and location of outdoor advertising structures, regulate posters and political signs, protect public safety, and ensure that advertising structures do not create hazards or obstruct public infrastructure, the existence of regulatory powers does not give a public institution an unlimited licence to impose arbitrary financial burdens on citizens and political candidates.

“Indeed, while the Kwara law provides for tariffs, fees and charges, we ask KWASAA: What is the legal and administrative basis for these particular exorbitant amounts? Who approved them? How were they calculated? And what service will KWASAA provide for our party to justify the collection of millions of naira?”

“As a party, we have also examined the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly the provisions governing political campaigns and media access. The Act requires political parties and candidates to campaign in accordance with applicable rules, while expressly providing that state apparatus, including the media, must not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate.

“Our party believes that the new KWASAA policy, if implemented in its present form, could have the practical effect of turning political communication into an exclusive preserve of the ruling party, and this will be fatally unhealthy for our democracy,” he stated.