*Oyo gov, APM drag Abia, Otti, others to court over N200m campaign fee
Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation has announced the commencement of zonal stakeholders’ meeting beginning tomorrow in Katsina.
Addressing a press conference to herald the commencement of the meeting, Tony Ehilebo, Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communication to the Presidential Candidate of the APM, Seyi Makinde, said, ”We invite you here today to update you on the activities of our campaign particularly the ongoing nationwide consultation and grassroots mobilisation to ensure the victory of our Presidential Candidate, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde and his running mate, Alh. Lawal Daura on the platform of our great Party, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
“As we continue with our consultation and mobilisation, it is imperative to through you, inform Nigerians that we have commenced our scheduled Town hall meetings for broad-based citizen and stakeholder engagement slated to hold in the six geo-political zones across the country.
“The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Zonal town hall meetings have been scheduled to commence with the North West zone on Tuesday, 22nd September, 2026 in Katsina, the Katsina State Capital.
“On Friday, 25th September, 2026 the Campaign will move to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for the South South Zonal Town hall meeting.
“On Monday, 28th September, 2026, the Campaign will move to Lafia, Nasarawa State for the North Central Town hall meeting, while we end the month of September with the South East Zonal Town hall meeting in Enugu, Enugu State on Wednesday, 30th September, 2026,” he stated.
Makinde, APM Drag Abia, Otti, Others to Court over N200m Campaign Fee
Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and his party, have dragged the Abia State Government, Governor Alex Otti and two others to court over their alleged unlawful imposition of the sum of N200 million mandatory campaign fee on any presidential candidate wishing to have his or her campaign materials displayed in any part of the state.
The two others were the Abia State Attorney-General, and the State House of Assembly.
The plaintiffs in the suit marked: HC/214/2026, and filed before the High Court of Abia State faulted the fee, on the grounds among others that it violated the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and other relevant laws.
In the suit filed on their behalf by their lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, the plaintiffs, who said they learnt about the fee while preparing to commence their nationwide campaign, pointed out that if every state was to impose such a huge fee, it would be impossible for any presidential candidate to abide by the campaign funding limit imposed by the Electoral Act 2026.
While the plaintiffs have presented six questions for the court to determine, they are praying the court to among others issue an order setting aside the regulations made by the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ASAA) in respect of political campaigns, including the imposition of campaign fee of N200 million on presidential candidates or any amount.
They also wanted an order of injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from enforcing the campaign or signage fee and from “removing, defacing, destroying and obstructing the placement of the complainants’ political campaign billboard and outdoor advertisements within Abia State.
No date has been announced for hearing in the the suit dated September 17 but, filed September 18.