Oyo Governor and APM presidential candidate challenges alleged requirement for presidential candidates to pay N200 million before displaying campaign materials in Abia
Plaintiffs argue fee violates Constitution, Electoral Act 2026 and could make campaign spending limits impossible to meet
The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and his party have dragged the Abia State Government to court over an alleged N200 million mandatory campaign fee imposed on presidential candidates seeking to display campaign materials across the state.
Makinde and the APM filed the suit against the Abia State Government, Governor Alex Otti and other defendants, challenging the legality of the alleged fee.
The case, marked HC/214/2026, was filed before the High Court of Abia State through the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN.
The plaintiffs are challenging what they described as an unlawful requirement, arguing that the alleged N200 million fee violates provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and other relevant laws governing elections and political campaigns.
Why Makinde and APM are challenging the fee
According to the claimants, they became aware of the alleged campaign fee while making preparations to commence their nationwide campaign ahead of the election.
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They argued that requiring presidential candidates to pay N200 million to display campaign materials in a single state could create significant financial challenges for candidates campaigning across the country.
The plaintiffs further argued that if other states adopted similar charges, a presidential candidate could be required to spend billions of naira merely to secure permission to display campaign materials across the federation.
They maintained that such a situation could make it difficult, if not impossible, for presidential candidates to comply with the campaign expenditure limit prescribed by the Electoral Act 2026.
Abia Government, Otti and others named as defendants
Governor Alex Otti was listed as one of the defendants in the suit alongside the Abia State Government.
Also listed as defendants are the Attorney-General of Abia State, the Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSAA), and the Abia State House of Assembly.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to examine the legal basis for the alleged N200 million requirement and determine whether the state authorities have the power to impose such a charge on presidential candidates seeking to conduct campaign activities within Abia.
The suit places the dispute within the broader question of how state-level regulations on political advertising and campaign materials should operate alongside the constitutional and electoral framework governing presidential elections.
The claims contained in the suit remain matters before the court, and the defendants’ response to the allegations was not included in the material available for this report.
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