The Ondo State Government has clarified the recently announced permit fees for political campaign signage, reaffirming its firm commitment to democratic principles.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued by Yòmí Oyékàn, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Signage and Advertisement, on Thursday in Akure.
The government explained that the regulation of campaign signage is a standard governance responsibility aimed at protecting public spaces, ensuring safety, and maintaining environmental order not a restriction on democracy.
The statement read: “The Ondo State Government has noted public reactions regarding the recently announced campaign signage permit fees and wishes to reaffirm its firm commitment to democratic principles, including freedom of political expression, lawful campaigning, and orderly engagement with the electorate.
“Regulation of campaign signage is a standard governance responsibility aimed at protecting public spaces, ensuring safety, and maintaining environmental order not a restriction on democracy.
“For the record that could be verified, Ondo State still ranked amongst the fewest states with the lowest rate for campaign signage permit when compared to other states in the country.
“Instead of increasing the amount being paid in the past to meet the current economic realities, the state government, under the people-oriented leadership of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, deliberately reduced the fees to ease pressure on aspirants.
“The current structure ₦2,000,000 for Senatorial, ₦1,500,000 for House of Representatives, and ₦1,000,000 for House of Assembly aspirants is based on the scale of campaign exposure, geographic spread, and environmental impact associated with each office, in line with widely accepted regulatory practice.
“It would be recalled that during the 2024 election cycle, aspirants in Ondo State paid ₦2,500,000 for campaign signage permits, while the state also incurred several millions of naira in post-election clean-up, removal of defaced materials, and restoration of public infrastructure.
“For context, similar or higher charges apply across Nigeria. In Lagos State, political campaign billboards are subject to LASAA permit fees running into hundreds of thousands to several millions of naira per billboard, depending on size and location.
“In Oyo State, political parties and candidates pay millions of naira for outdoor advertising permits during election seasons, while in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), campaign billboards and large-format political adverts attract multi-million-naira approval and monitoring fees, exclusive of removal and compliance costs.
“Other states such as Anambra, Kogi, and Imo have publicly imposed fees ranging from ₦5 million to over ₦50 million for certain categories of political campaign signage.
“These realities necessitated a review of the framework to strike a balance between access, fairness, and the cost of regulation borne by government and taxpayers.
“It is therefore misleading to portray Ondo State’s policy as excessive or unusual.
“The permit regime is moderate, nationally consistent, and deliberately considerate, designed to curb visual pollution, prevent disorderly deployment of materials, and fund post-election clean-up while fully preserving the right of aspirants to campaign freely.
“The Ondo State Government remains committed to a balanced, fair and people-centred approach that protects public order and the collective interest of the people of Ondo State.”
