ADC Vows Legal Action Against Anambra Government Over N50m Campaign Permit Fee
Opposition party condemns Anambra’s campaign permit policy, calls it unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has threatened to drag the Anambra State Government to court over a controversial policy requiring governorship candidates to pay a N50 million campaign permit fee ahead of the November 8 election.
The fee, announced by the Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA), is meant to cover permits for campaign materials including posters, branded vehicles, and promotional items. The directive applies to all 16 candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including the incumbent governor, Charles Soludo.
But the ADC has pushed back strongly, describing the policy as a calculated move to suppress opposition voices. Speaking to journalists in Awka on Thursday, ADC State Chairman Patrick Obianyo condemned the fee as “unheard of,” warning that the party would initiate legal proceedings if the policy is not reversed.
Obianyo accused the Soludo-led government of attempting to stifle democratic participation. “This is intimidation and a violation of democratic rights. In 2021, Soludo didn’t pay such a fee to contest, so why impose it now? We are rejecting this unconstitutional and undemocratic policy,” he stated.
