2027 Elections: South-East Youth Council Condemns N150m Billboard Fees, Calls For Level Playing Field

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), South-East Zone, has raised concerns over allegedly exorbitant fees being imposed on political aspirants and candidates seeking to advertise their campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group alleged that billboard and outdoor advertising charges in some South-East states, including Enugu, could run into tens or hundreds of millions of naira, with some reports putting the cost of billboard placement as high as N150 million.

Vice President of the NYCN, South-East Zone, Dr Atigwe Henry Ifeanyi, raised the concerns during a press briefing on Saturday, warning that such charges could restrict political participation and give an unfair advantage to wealthy candidates and ruling parties.

“If candidates are required to pay such extraordinary sums before they can erect campaign billboards or freely display their campaign materials, then the democratic process risks becoming an exclusive preserve of the financially powerful,” Ifeanyi said.

He said the situation was particularly concerning for young Nigerians with the competence and ambition to contest elections but without the financial resources to compete under such conditions.

“Democracy must not become a system where only the wealthiest candidates can make themselves visible to the electorate,” he said.

The NYCN South-East called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Federal Government and relevant regulatory and security agencies to investigate the alleged charges and ensure that regulations were not being used to suppress legitimate political participation.

The council also condemned alleged intimidation, harassment and obstruction of opposition political parties, candidates and their supporters.

It expressed concern over reports that opposition parties were sometimes prevented from using public schools, government premises and other public facilities for political gatherings, while ruling parties were allegedly granted access to such facilities.

“Public property belongs to the people and must be administered fairly and transparently. Government facilities must not become instruments for political victimisation or witch-hunting,” the group said.

The youth council urged INEC, state governments and security agencies to ensure equal treatment for all political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

It also called on INEC to strengthen its monitoring mechanisms and sanction political actors or officials who violate electoral guidelines or deliberately prevent opponents from campaigning.

“INEC must not wait until election day before addressing violations that could affect the credibility of the electoral process. The electoral environment leading to the election is just as important as the election itself,” the statement said.

The council further proposed that INEC create and regularly update a publicly accessible database containing the names, photographs, political parties and other relevant information of duly nominated candidates across the South-East.

According to the group, such a database would help voters identify candidates while reducing the disadvantage faced by aspirants who cannot afford expensive billboard campaigns.

The NYCN acknowledged that governments have the authority to regulate outdoor advertising but insisted that such regulations must be “reasonable, transparent, non-discriminatory and applicable equally to all political parties and candidates.”

It appealed to governors and relevant authorities across the five South-Eastern states to review what it described as excessive campaign advertising charges.

The council also urged young Nigerians to register, collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the 2027 elections.

“Our PVCs are not merely pieces of identification; they are instruments through which we can determine the leadership we desire,” it said.

However, the group cautioned youths against violence, urging them to defend democracy through lawful and constitutional means by documenting irregularities and using appropriate institutions and legal channels.

“The 2027 General Elections must be an election where every Nigerian — young or old, rich or poor, ruling party or opposition — has an equal opportunity to participate,” the council said.

It added: “Let there be a level playing field. Let every candidate be heard. Let every voter be free. Let every vote count.”